In a shocking case that has sparked widespread outrage, an American couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, have been sentenced to a combined total of 375 years in prison for enslaving their five adopted black children.
The couple, who are both in their 60s, were convicted of forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse and neglect in January.
According to reports, the couple adopted the five siblings in Minnesota and moved them to a farm in Washington state, where they were subjected to forced labor, physical and emotional abuse, and racist slurs.
The children, who were between the ages of 5 and 16 at the time, were forced to work long hours on the farm, were fed poorly, and were subjected to cruel punishment.
The couple’s defense attorneys argued that they were overwhelmed by the challenges of caring for the children, who had already suffered abuse at the hands of their biological parents.
However, prosecutors presented evidence that the couple had intentionally subjected the children to cruel treatment, including forcing them to sleep on the floor, denying them access to basic necessities like toilets and showers, and using racist language to belittle and humiliate them.
In a powerful statement, Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers condemned the couple’s actions, saying, “You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know as ‘Almost Heaven,’ and you put them in hell.
This court will now put you in yours.” Akers sentenced Whitefeather to 215 years in prison and Lantz to 160 years.
In a poignant moment during the trial, the eldest daughter, now 18, read a statement to the court, saying, “I’ll never understand how you can sleep at night. I want you to know that you are a monster.”
The daughter has also filed a lawsuit against the couple, alleging severe physical and emotional abuse and neglect.
