Meet the Whittakers: Inside ‘America’s most inbred family’ that speaks in grunts

A filmmaker has provided a sneak peek into the daily lives of one of the most inbred families in America residing in West Virginia. This after visiting their dismal dwelling. The Whittakers live in a community fittingly named Odd, which is situated 75 miles to the south of Charleston. They are reputed for barking at visitors, using grunts to communicate, and often fleeing when approached by outsiders.

Mark Laita, the producer, has brought the family into the limelight by publishing a short, 12-minute video on his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly. The aim? To cover untold stories from various parts of the country.

He characterized the inbred family as reminiscent of the characters from the 1972 thriller film, Deliverance.

Last year, in April, he returned to meet with the Whittaker family whom he initially encountered in 2004 and filmed in 2020. All his experiences were shared on the channel. According to The Sun, the Whittaker household consists of three siblings, namely Lorraine, Timmy, and Ray. Their parents were double first cousins, meaning that they shared both sets of grandparents. The complex genetic makeup has led to a range of behavioral problems, as reported by Laita.

Laita first encountered the West Virginia family in 2004 when he captured images of them. Later in 2020, he revisited them to learn more about their way of life. In an interview with the Koncrete podcast, recorded before Christmas, Laita recounted some of his most peculiar experiences with the family. Stating that “it was out of control.”

Chilling screams and barking noises

“There are these people walking around and their eyes are going in different directions and they are barking at us. And [this] one guy. You’d look at him in the eye or say anything and he would scream and go running away and his pants would fall around his ankles.” Laita has mentioned that since he first photographed and filmed the family, they have become a subject of significant public interest. And he now requires police protection during his visits.

He also recounted the evolution of his relationship with the inbred family members. Specifically highlighting the individual’s named Ray, Betty, Kenneth, Ray, Timmy, and Lorraine. During his initial approach in the early 2000s, he was met by “protective” neighbors carrying a shotgun.

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“They don’t like people coming to ridicule these people,” Laita said on the podcast. When Laita first attempted to take pictures of the Whittakers, it was for his book “Created Equal.” Which portrayed stories of different cultures across the US.

Although he wasn’t initially welcomed, he was eventually allowed to capture a few shots and even presented some to the family as a gift. In one of Laita’s most recent videos from 2021, he showed the family’s dilapidated living conditions. With them residing in a cramped and overpopulated residence alongside various animals.

Earning their trust, he actually made friends with the inbred family

Laita went back to the Whittakers’ residence on a whim to check on them. While he was there, he decided to use his iPhone to record their living conditions and “level of poverty.” The family seemed to spend a significant amount of time on their front porch. Which had a sofa, armchair, and other household items.

One relative told Laita: “They understand what you talking about.” He then continued: “If they don’t like it, they start yelling – let you know they don’t like that idea.” Laita interviewed Betty and Kenneth from the Whittaker family and asked them about the genetic abnormalities in their family.

Betty replied that she didn’t know, and Kenneth suggested it might have been due to coal mining. According to Laita, the inbreeding in the family began with first cousins. In his videos, Laita also asked the family members about their education. Only Timmy seemed to have graduated high school. Lorraine and Ray seemed unable to speak and only communicated through grunts, while other family members had to speak on their behalf.

Discover Magazine weighed in on the family

Discover Magazine reports that inbreeding can lead to various side effects, such as “reduced height, cognitive abilities, and lung function, and increased risk of diseases.” The Whittaker family did not initially recognize that their genetic complications resulted from inbreeding, as they revealed to the filmmaker.

Additionally, they could not recall much about their parents or other relatives. In an effort to enhance the living conditions of the Whittakers and make home improvements, Laita started a GoFundMe in 2022, which has raised over $57,000 to date. Nonetheless, many people have criticized Laita’s film for being exploitative.

One of the poorest states, West Virginia is struggling

Laita’s visit to the Whittaker family took place in the village of Odd, located in West Virginia, which is known as one of the poorest states in the U.S. The village has a population of just 800 residents. According to the Census, almost 17 percent of West Virginia’s 1.77 million residents live in poverty, which is higher than the U.S. average of 11.6 percent. Only Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arkansas have a higher poverty rate.

Many had issues with the film about the inbred family

According to Melody West and Shane Simmons, the duo behind the Real Appalachia YouTube channel, they have raised concerns about the documentary. They argue that Laita’s film “perpetuates the stereotype that has been around for decades” about inbreeding in Appalachia, despite his efforts to raise funds for the Whittaker family.

“I just feel like a lot more could be done for these people.’ Said West. “I think he’s trying to act like he’s doing a lot for them.”

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