Simply contemplating incest is repulsive. That’s not a reference to the popular HBO series. No, I’m talking about reality, albeit a bleak one.
Who are the Whitakers, if you know them? This Odd, West Virginia family is notorious for being inbred.
Filming Begins on the 2020 Documentary
After Mark Laita photographed the Whitaker family for his book Created Equally, the Whitakers became famous all over the world (2004). Moreover, it’s true that he was threatened by shotgun-toting neighbours.
In 2020, he paid the Whitaker family another visit to make a video that ultimately received more negative comments than positive ones but still racked up over 25 million views. The film shows the terrible effects of inbreeding.
There is an unidentified mental illness affecting Lorraine, Ray, and Timmy. They have nothing to eat, and they are living in filth. Even more so than the others, Ray only grunts. Which begs the question, “Why?”
Mark Laita had to pay them four visits and bribe them with cash, food, and clothing before they would open up to him. Among the many things he documented in his writing were
With the exception of Timmy, who is a cousin, everyone in this video is related. I can’t say for sure that the Whitaker parents were related, but I know it happens in this part of the country and the Whitakers are the worst case I’ve seen, so I’d wager that inbreeding played a role in the peculiarities of Lorraine, Freddie, Ray, and Timmy’s development.
Numerous studies show that the offspring of inbreeding couples are at increased risk for developing various ailments. More often than not, inbred offspring will develop a recessive genetic condition.
So, what exactly is going on with the Whitakers? Because of the way their neighbours look out for them, inbreeding is likely to be rampant in some areas of West Virginia. The negative effects of inbreeding are clearly visible.
Impacts of Genetic Similarity
The term “inbreeding” refers to the act of mating between genetically related species. This goes against the whole point of mating, which is to mix up genes, thus it’s not something that should be done.
“the likelihood of near natal and childhood death doubles if the child comes from a first cousin relationship, practically tripling in certain nations,” found a study published in 2011 titled Consanguineous Marriages.
It has been proved by numerous researchers and medical professionals that inbreeding increases the likelihood of future generations developing genetic abnormalities and afflictions.
There is no outside blood in the Whitaker family at all. Everybody in the family has strong genetic and biological ties to everyone else. This is what leads to their mental retardation.
The Strange Circumstances Surrounding the Whitaker Family
The Whitakers are a British-descended family who lead a very slovenly lifestyle. The original group consisted of Ray, Lorraine, Timmy (the only cousin), Freddie, and an unknown sister. Sadly, Freddie passed away many years ago from a heart attack.
Colt Clan, who allegedly assaulted his daughters in order to father children, is a possible parallel here. It was this “horror story” spanning four generations of incest. The two sisters, however, slept freely with their sibling brother. However, credible sources attest to the fact that the Whitaker family is very inbred.
Mark Latia has issued a personal warning to the public to keep away from the Whitaker family, who are protected by their armed neighbours and the Raleigh County deputies.
He warned people to stay away from the Whitakers, saying, “Their armed neighbours and the Raleigh County deputies make it apparent that interested guests are not welcome.”
Nobody, not even close relatives, knows where the Whitakers came from or who their parents are because of the family’s strict secrecy. All the children in this household kept their parents’ identities hidden. There is no doubt about it; these people are inbred.
West Virginians have a well-deserved rep for being extremely close to their kin.
West Virginia’s poverty has long been seen as a symptom of the stereotypes surrounding inbreeding. Pictures of dilapidated homes and children going barefoot in rags were published in national publications in the 1930s, cementing the state’s reputation as a backwater.
West Virginians came to symbolise the stereotypical “hillbilly,” and incest was used as a rudimentary “scientific” explanation for their depressed socioeconomic status. There is now a statute prohibiting incest in West Virginia, although in other states, first cousins are still allowed to marry.
