WATCH THE VIDEO HERE They Called It “Almost Heaven.” These Kids Lived in Hell. West Virginia is known for its mountain views, bluegrass tunes, and that John Denver song your mom still tears up to. But behind one white picket fence in Sissonville, two monsters in human skin turned a farmhouse into a horror movie — and made five adopted Black children their victims. This week, the final chapter of that nightmare played out in court. Donald Lantz, 62, and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, were sentenced to a combined 375 years in prison (yes, three. hundred. seventy-five.) after being convicted of child abuse, human trafficking, forced labor, and — in Jeanne’s case — civil rights violations. Why the extra time for her? Because prosecutors proved these kids were targeted because of their race. It wasn’t just abuse. It was racism-fueled exploitation. Let that sink in. The couple adopted five children in 2018. And instead of giving them love, education, and a place to heal, they made them sleep on shed floors, locked them away for hours, and forced them to work their farm “like slaves,” according to the court. One of the teens — just 16 — had sores on his feet. Another child testified they were forced to stand for hours with their hands on their heads as punishment. Dirty clothes. No running water. No access to the actual house. Just a shed with a portable toilet. Honestly? The sheer cruelty is hard to wrap your head around. But what makes it worse is how long it went on — and how easily it could’ve continued if a neighbor hadn’t spoken up. During sentencing, Judge Maryclaire Akers didn’t hold back: “You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know is ‘almost heaven,’ and you put them in hell.” And then she hit them with the verbal gavel of the century: “This court will now put you in yours.” Mic. Dropped. So what now? The children are safe. The couple will (thankfully) rot in prison. But we’re still left with big questions: How did this slip through the cracks? How did a pair of unfit, unstable adults gain custody of five vulnerable Black kids? Why does the system keep failing children, especially children of color? This isn’t just a “true crime” case. It’s a brutal reminder that abuse doesn’t always look like bruises. Sometimes it’s locked doors, forced labor, and systemic neglect — dressed up as adoption. If there’s a takeaway here, maybe it’s this: we can’t be silent bystanders. The neighbor who called CPS saved lives. One phone call made the difference. And if we want a better world — one that actually is “almost heaven” for all kids — we have to stay alert, speak up, and demand better. And to those five brave children: you deserved love. You deserved safety. You still do. 
White Couple Who Adopted Black Children and Made Them ‘Slaves’ Gets 375 Years
