The Whittakers are America’s most inbred family brought to light by filmmaker Mark Laita in his 12-minute short film, ‘Inbred Family-The Whittakers’. Pictured: The Whittakers
Mark Laita, pictured, was first acquainted with the West Virginia family in 2004 when he took pictures of them. He returned in 2020 and spoke about it last year
The Whittakers are three siblings named Lorraine, Timmy, and Ray. Their parents were double first cousins, The Sun reported – first cousins, twice, because they share both sets of grandparents.
The genetic complications have caused a host of behavioral issues, Laita reported.
Laita was first acquainted with the West Virginia family in 2004 when he took pictures of them and he decided to return in 2020 to get to know them better.
In an interview with Koncrete podcast, recorded before Christmas, Laita recalled the most bizarre moments with the family.
‘It was out of control,’ he said.
‘There’s 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 just scream and go running away and his pants would fall around his ankles.’
Laita said the family have received a surge in interest since he first photographed and then filmed them. He said he needed a police escort to visit.
Laita recalled the building up of his relationship with the inbred family, particularly with family members named Ray, Betty, Kenneth, Ray, Timmy and Lorraine.
The first time he approached them was in the early 2000s when he was initially met by ‘protective’ neighbors with a shotgun.
‘They don’t like people coming to ridicule these people,’ Laita said on the podcast.
At the time, Laita wanted to take photos of the Whittakers for his book, ‘Created Equal.’ The book told stories of diverse cultures in the US.
While he wasn’t initially welcomed, he was eventually allowed to snap a few shots and even gifted some to the family.
One of the filmmaker’s latest videos from 2021 showed the family’s rundown conditions, with the group living in a small and overcrowded home with several animals.
Laita said he returned to the home on a whim to see how the family was doing.
He then decided to pick up his iPhone and grab footage of their ‘level of poverty’ and living conditions.
The family lives in Odd, West Virginia in impoverished conditions. Several share a home with dogs and wear worn down clothing
It appeared by Laita’s video that the family didn’t know their genetic issues occurred due inbreeding. They also couldn’t remember much about their parents or other family members
The family appeared to spend a lot of time on their front porch where they have a couch, armchair and other household belongings.
One relative told Laita: ‘They understand what you talking about.
‘If they don’t like it, they start yelling – let you know they don’t like that idea.’
In one scene Laita asked Betty why she thought her family had so many abnormalities. She said she didn’t know.
He pushed the question further with Kenneth asking specifically about why their eyes weren’t facing forward. He responded: ‘Might be coal mining.’
Laita previously told podcaster Joe Rogan the inbred family line started with first cousins.
The videos of the Whittakers showed Laita asking them about their education and schooling. Only one appeared to have graduated high school, Timmy.
Lorraine and Ray appeared to not be able to talk and only grunt. Other family members had to talk on behalf of them.
According to Discover Magazine, inbreeding can lead to various side effects, including ‘decreased cognitive abilities and muscular function, reduced height and lung function, and are at greater risk from diseases in general.’
The family didn’t know their genetic issues occurred due inbreeding, according to what they told the filmmaker.
They also couldn’t remember much about their parents or other family members.
To help improve the Whittaker’s living conditions and provide home improvements, Laita previously created a GoFundMe in 2022 that has since raised $46,433.
Despite Laita’s fundraising, many people have found the film making to be exploitative.
West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the country. The village of Odd where Laita went to document the family has just 800 residents.
Almost 17 percent of the 1.77 million residents in West Virginia live in poverty, according to the Census.
The U.S. average is 11.6 percent. Only Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas were worse.
Melody West and Shane Simmons, who run the Real Appalachia YouTube channel, said they had issues with the film.
They said that Laita ‘ostensibly is doing all this good work for them and raising money for them.’
But, they argue, the documentary ‘perpetuates the stereotype that has been around for decades’ relating to inbreeding in Appalachia.
‘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.’
