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West Virginia couple convicted of forced labor, human trafficking of adopted kids
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia couple accused of neglect and forced labor involving their adopted children was convicted by a jury on Wednesday after eight hours of deliberations.
Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Ray Lantz went on trial in mid-January and each faced over a dozen counts, including forced labor, civil rights violations, human trafficking and child neglect.
The couple, who are white, were accused of mistreating their children — all of whom are Black — by locking them in a shed, forcing them to sleep on the floor and use buckets as toilets, and more.
The Kanawha County Circuit Court jury convicted Whitefeather on all 19 counts against her, including the civil rights violations. Lantz was found guilty on 12 counts out of 16. He was acquitted of four counts of civil rights violations. Both showed little emotion as the verdict was read.