Three members of the Whittaker family, often described as America's 'most inbred family', have been forcibly removed from their home in Odd, West Virginia, by authorities. Ray Whittaker, 72; his sister Lorene, 79; and her son Timmy, 46, were taken from the residence approximately 77 miles south of Charleston.
Relatives Betty, 73, and Larry, 69, expressed confusion to the Daily Mail, stating they were not given an explanation for the removal. 'They said they were helping them, and they couldn't live here no more,' Betty said. 'I miss them a lot, I raised them.' Larry added that they were not told where the three were taken and have been waiting for a phone call.
The West Virginia Department of Human Services acknowledged the situation but declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality laws and the 'ongoing nature of the matter'. The family gained notoriety after a documentary by Mark Laita on his YouTube channel Soft White Underbelly went viral five years ago.
The Whittaker family's history of inbreeding began when offspring of identical twin brothers, Henry and John, married and had children, leading to generations of inbreeding and severe disabilities. Laita described his first encounter as 'the craziest thing I have ever seen', likening it to a scene from the film Deliverance.
Betty disclosed that the removal occurred shortly after a protective court order against Larry's daughter, Betty Jo 'BJ' Whittaker Rocha, 47, was lifted. BJ had been residing with the family and faced a felony charge for selling stolen copper wire, making nearly $3,000 between July and August.
