Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, a white couple from West Virginia, have been sentenced to 80 and 65 years in federal prison, respectively, after being convicted of horrific crimes against their adopted Black children, including forced labor, human trafficking, and extreme abuse. The couple exploited the adoption system to enslave the children, subjecting them to starvation, beatings, isolation, and grueling physical labor under constant threats of violence. Prosecutors described the situation as modern-day slavery, highlighting how the victims were denied basic needs and lived in fear for years. The case has ignited national outrage and raised urgent concerns about systemic failures in adoption oversight, particularly regarding the protection of Black children placed in white households. Civil rights advocates are now calling for sweeping reforms to prevent such racially motivated exploitation from happening again.
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