Five children who were subjected to years of abuse and neglect by their adoptive parents in West Virginia have been awarded a $4.4 million settlement from the state Department of Human Services following failures by Child Protective Services to adequately respond to reports about their welfare.Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers approved the settlement on Tuesday. The amount, which will be divided among the five children, represents the maximum compensation available to each child through the state’s Board of Risk Management, according to West Virginia Watch.The case involved a white couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, and Donald Lantz, 64, who were accused of keeping their adopted Black children in deplorable conditions and treating them in what prosecutors described as slave-like circumstances. Some of the children were forced to live in a shed without running water or a bathroom.
Neighbours repeatedly raised concerns
Five adopted Black children have been awarded a $4.4 million settlement after CPS failures in West Virginia. (Photo: West Virginia Watch)
Neighbours had reportedly contacted CPS multiple times over concerns about the children, but said they did not receive meaningful follow-up. The children were ultimately discovered by law enforcement in October 2023.Whitefeather and Lantz were later convicted and received the maximum sentences, amounting to decades in prison, for their treatment of the children.Attorney Dante’ diTrapano, who represented the victims, said the settlement could give the children an opportunity to recover from the trauma they experienced.“It means that these kids will have an opportunity to be children,” diTrapano said. “They were robbed of their innocence and robbed of their youth by the monsters that were their former parents.”The settlement is expected to help pay for the children’s ongoing needs as they rebuild their lives. According to diTrapano, several of the children require significant support because of trauma associated with the abuse.
Lawsuit highlighted alleged CPS failures
The children endured horrific conditions, with some forced to live in a shed without running water or a bathroom. (Photo: WCHS TV)
DiTrapano filed the lawsuit against the West Virginia Department of Human Services, arguing that CPS failed to properly respond to multiple warnings about the children.West Virginia Watch previously reported that DoHS was unable to produce documentation showing CPS had made contact with the children after receiving a referral concerning alleged slave-like conditions at the home.Evidence presented during the adoptive parents’ criminal trial reportedly showed that CPS left a card at the family’s door. DiTrapano said there were numerous calls from neighbours but only limited follow-up.“There were a ton of calls that came in from neighbors, and I think only one visit out there. There should have been many more,” he said.He also alleged that CPS later interviewed the children within earshot of their adoptive parents, raising further concerns about how the investigation was conducted.
State says child welfare system has undergone changes
The settlement will help the victims recover and rebuild their lives after years of trauma. (Photo: Zillow)
Lars Dalseide, spokesperson for West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, said the Department of Human Services does not comment on specific legal settlements or ongoing litigation.The case predates the Morrisey administration. Dalseide said the employee involved in the case was terminated by the previous administration.He also pointed to changes made under the current administration, including restructuring leadership, establishing clearer expectations across regions and strengthening training for frontline workers.The administration has also begun using the “SAFE Model” to assess child welfare cases, with the stated goal of creating a more consistent approach to decision-making.“The safety and well-being of West Virginia’s children remain our highest priorities,” Dalseide said. “DoHS will continue evaluating its policies, oversight and operations and making changes where needed to better protect children and support families.”DiTrapano, however, argued that broader changes are still necessary.“The whole system is broken,” he said, calling for improvements in the quality of child welfare personnel, interviewing procedures and documentation practices.“They have to take these calls seriously,” he added.
Children now living with new adoptive families
The five children have since been placed with new adoptive families, according to diTrapano. Two of their new adoptive mothers spoke in court about the children’s lives following their removal from the abusive household, including a trip to the beach.“It means everything to us to be able to help these kids,” diTrapano said.The attorney and the Salango Law Firm also plan to pursue legal action against Washington state’s Human Services Department. DiTrapano alleges that the agency approved the couple’s transfer of children from Washington to West Virginia despite previous reports of child abuse involving them.Unlike West Virginia, Washington does not have a monetary damage cap in such cases, potentially allowing the children to seek additional compensation if the lawsuit succeeds.
Lawmaker plans to reintroduce Child Captivity Prevention Act
The case has also prompted renewed calls for legislative changes in West Virginia.Del. Hollis Lewis, D-Kanawha, said he plans to reintroduce the Child Captivity Prevention Act in 2027. The proposed legislation would require families moving to West Virginia who intend to homeschool their children to notify the Department of Human Services.Whitefeather and Lantz had homeschooled the children before police discovered the abuse.Lewis previously introduced the legislation during the state’s 2026 legislative session, but it did not advance before lawmakers adjourned in March.“We’re for parents having options about how they wish to educate their children, but we are also for sensible, common sense guidelines and provisions to ensure that you know those educational choices don’t lead to abuse,” Lewis said.Lewis also credited residents in Sissonville who repeatedly alerted authorities to the conditions at the couple’s home.“The community was the one that actually blew the whistle on this,” he said, adding that without those efforts, the children could potentially have remained in the abusive situation.The $4.4 million settlement now provides the five victims with financial resources to address their long-term needs as they continue rebuilding their lives after years of abuse.