West Virginia mother on trial for locking adopted teenagers in shed denies allegations

A West Virginia parent denied forcing 2 of their adopted children to enactment successful a shed contempt constabulary uncovering them determination down a locked door.

Jeanne Kay Whitefeather testified Tuesday successful the 2nd week of the proceedings against her and her husband, Donald Ray Lantz. The brace allegedly mistreated 4 of the 5 children, each of whom are black. Whitefeather and Lantz, who are white, each look respective felony counts, including forced labor, civilian rights violations, quality trafficking and gross kid neglect.

Whitefeather and Lantz were arrested successful October 2023 erstwhile neighbors reported that they observed Lantz locking 2 teenagers — a miss and a lad — successful the shed and leaving the spot successful Sissonville, West Virginia.

Whitefeather claimed the shed was a "teenager hangout."

WEST VIRGINIA MAN, WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER TEENS FOUND LOCKED IN SHED

Defendants Donald Lantz and Jeanne Whitefeather participate Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Maryclaire Akers' courtroom for the archetypal time of their trial, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, successful Charleston, West Virginia, pursuing assemblage selection. (AP)

"They weren’t locked in," Whitefeather testified. "They had a key. They could travel and spell arsenic they pleased."

But the oldest daughter, present 18, testified past week that she was unaware of entree to a key. A detective had testified earlier that a cardinal was recovered retired of show connected apical of a furniture successful the shed.

The miss besides said the children were fixed peanut food sandwiches astatine scheduled times and were not allowed to devour extracurricular those times, careless of whether they were hungry.

Donald Ray Lantz, left, and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather are shown during a interruption successful the Kanawha County Circuit Court connected the archetypal time of their proceedings successful Charleston, West Virginia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP)

Whitefeather claims the children were allowed to usage the refrigerator and that she cooked each night.

After the mates was arrested, the 5 children were placed nether the attraction of Child Protective Services.

WV LAWMAKER ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO KILL ENTIRE REGION'S DELEGATION OVER CAUCUS BEEF

Donald Lantz and Jeanne Whitefeather are connected proceedings for kid neglect aft children were recovered locked successful a shed. (West Virginia Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority)

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The brace adopted the 5 siblings portion surviving successful Minnesota. They past moved to a workplace successful Washington authorities successful 2018 earlier moving to West Virginia successful 2023, astatine which clip the children ranged successful property from 5 to 16.

The oldest lad is receiving full-time attraction successful a psychiatric facility.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.