The Whitaker Family: Horrors of Inbreeding
Incest is disgusting just to think about. I’m not referring to Game of Thrones here. I’m referring to reality—a particularly unpleasant reality. Are you familiar with the Whitaker family? It is regarded as Odd, West Virginia’s most notorious inbred family.
The Documentary 2020
When Mark Laita photographed the Whitaker family for his book Created Equally, the family was fortunate to get attention on a global scale (2004). He did receive threats from neighbours who had shotguns, too.
In 2020, he returned to the Whitaker home to make a video, which received more dislikes than likes but yet amassed more than 25 million views. The evils of inbreeding are shown in the documentary.
Members Lorraine, Ray, and Timmy have an unidentified mental illness. They barely have enough to subsist and live in abject poverty. Ray in particular only grunts. What then is the reason?
To get them to open up, Mark Laita had to pay them four visits and give those presents of money, food, and clothing. He stated:
“The individuals in this video are brothers and sisters, except for Timmy who is a cousin. There is no way I would be able to confirm that the Whitaker parents were related, but given that this does happen in this part of the country and the Whitakers are the most extreme case I’ve seen so far, I would bet that inbreeding was at least partly responsible for the mental and physical abnormalities seen in Lorraine, Freddie, Ray, and Timmy.”
Many studies show that inbred kids have diminished cognitive capacities, lung function issues, heart conditions, and are more susceptible to various ailments. Recessive genetic abnormalities are more likely to affect children who are inbred.
How does the Whitaker family’s situation stand then? It is reasonable to believe that inbreeding is widespread in some areas of West Virginia, and that their neighbours’ protection of them may be a contributing factor. They demonstrate important effects of inbreeding.
What Is the Story behind the Whitaker family?
The detrimental impacts of a West Virginian inbred family will be discussed in this essay. According to reports, when people first saw these brothers and sisters, they used to feel afraid. It concerns the horrifying reality of the Whitaker Family, whose existence was the subject of a documentary that was released in 2020.
Facts about Whitaker Family
The culprit was Mark Laita, who disregarded the neighbours’ warnings and went on to make headlines about this family. After carefully examining the film that was recorded in 2020, he discovered some astounding information concerning inbreeding.
After about four visits, he eventually allowed them to express their deepest feelings to him. The audience as a consequence came to understand the miseries of such an error among people.
Having close physical ties to family members is referred to as inbreeding. This typically takes place amongst first cousins.
Inbreeding can also happen in relationships between blood relatives such as siblings or parents. The victims of such inbreeding are the offspring of such partnerships.
In his notebook, Mark included specifics on each Whitaker family member.
Effects of Inbreeding
The breeding of organisms with intimate genetic ties is known as inbreeding. The behaviour contradicts the biological purpose of mating, which is the DNA shuffle. The likelihood of near-natal and childhood death rises if the kid is from a first cousin relationship, virtually tripling in certain nations, according to a 2011 research, Consanguineous Marriages.
Inbreeding increases the chance of congenital abnormalities and genetic illnesses in the progeny, according to several scientists and medical professionals.
Physical Abnormalities of Whitakers
A lot was revealed to us by Mark’s observations. First off, three of the family’s members had unstable mental health. For instance, Ray used to grunt incessantly and for no apparent reason.
Also, Timmy and Lorraine did not behave in a rational manner. The family’s financial situation was quite dire. The fact that someone might survive in such a manner was surprising.
According to medical research, inbred children tend to have malformed bodies and minds. Together with the cognitive impairments, a number of mental illnesses and cardiac problems become more noticeable.
Freddie, who passed away from a heart condition, and his other siblings experienced these experiences frequently. Timmy was the only member who had a cousin. Yet, there was no way to prove that Whitaker’s parents were related by blood. More people disliked the finished video than liked it.
The Whitaker family’s neighbours kept the matter hidden from the public. Laita had to provide them a lot of extras, such cash, clothing, enticing food, etc., to remove any sense of intimidation and allow them to speak freely.
So, the general people may corroborate that such inbreeding is a widespread occurrence in that specific region of West Virginia. It is therefore advisable to examine the flaws that such irregular reproductive processes might cause in inbred offspring.
West Virginia’s reputation for inbreeding
The poverty of West Virginia has long been associated with stereotypes about the state’s inbreeding customs. National media published images of dilapidated shacks and children wearing rags in the 1930s, giving the state the reputation of being a backwater.
West Virginians were characterized as the archetypal “hillbillies,” and incest was used as a crude, “scientific,” justification for their deplorable socioeconomic situation. First cousins can still be married in some areas of West Virginia despite the state’s new anti-incest law.
