The Whittakers, of Odd, West Virginia, have been documented by filmmaker Mark Laita for two decades.
The family has a unique way of communicating – they are known to grunt, bark, and use gestures instead of words or sign language.
And now, in a recent update on the Whittakers, Laita has shared some important advice for anyone curious to meet them.
Laita first encountered the Whittakers in 2004 when he met family members Ray, Betty, Kenneth, Timmy, and Lorene.
His initial visit was met with hostility from protective neighbors. They were armed with shotguns and wary of outsiders ridiculing the family.
Despite this challenging start, Laita persevered and gained the family’s trust.
The filmmaker photographed the Whitakers for his book ‘Created Equal,’ which explores diverse American cultures and backgrounds.
In 2020, he revisited the family to deepen his understanding of their lives.
In an interview on the Koncrete KLIPS Podcast, filmmaker Mark Laita shared his striking encounter with the Whittaker family.
He described a surreal and unsettling atmosphere, recalling vivid images of family members with misaligned eyes and unpredictable behavior.
“It felt like a scene straight out of Deliverance,” Laita recounted. “We drove down this road that turned into a country lane, then into a dirt path. Eventually, we came upon a trailer and a small shack nearby. There were people wandering around, their eyes pointing in different directions, and some were barking at us.”
He continued, “One man, if you made eye contact or said anything, would suddenly scream, take off running, his pants falling around his ankles, and then he’d kick over a garbage can. This happened repeatedly. It was completely chaotic—the most bizarre thing I’ve ever witnessed.”
The filmmaker also acknowledged the difficulty in determining the extent of inbreeding within the family.
“There is no way I would be able to confirm that the Whittaker parents were related, but given that this does happen in this part of the country and the Whittakers are the most extreme case I’ve seen so far,” Laita said.
“I would bet that inbreeding was at least partly responsible for the mental and physical abnormalities seen in [siblings] Lorene, Freddie, Ray, and [cousin] Timmy.”
The Whittakers became beneficiaries of two fundraising campaigns organized by photographer and filmmaker Laita through his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly. However, their relationship with Laita eventually soured.
The situation escalated when YouTuber Tyler Oliveira uploaded a video exploring the “poorest region of America,” which featured an interview with the Whittakers. In the video, Betty Whittaker claimed to know nothing about the money that had been raised for her family, a statement that angered Laita, who felt it painted him as a money-hungry scam artist.
Defending himself, Laita stated, “Look at the Whittakers; their lives have improved greatly since I came into it, and that’s because I came through for them every time.” He also revealed that the family had repeatedly asked for large sums of money, but the exact purpose for these funds was unclear. Laita then posted a Soft White Underbelly video directly addressing the controversy, showing screenshots of money transfers and announcing that he would no longer organize fundraisers for the Whittakers.
Before cutting ties, Laita contacted Betty to ensure she understood he hadn’t withheld any funds, but her confused response only deepened his frustration.
In addition to this, another scandal involving the Whittakers emerged when Larry Whittaker was falsely reported as dead. Laita had shared the news of Larry’s supposed death on his YouTube channel, citing relatives who claimed he had died from a heart attack. However, it was later revealed that Larry was alive and unaware of the rumors. In a later video, Larry appeared alongside his daughter, who confessed to lying about his death in order to receive money for his “funeral.” She admitted, “I’m trying to get help for my drug addiction,” and expressed regret over the deception.
The situation took another turn when Laita gave Larry $700, with the understanding that Larry would take his daughter to North Carolina to start a new life. However, it was soon alleged that Larry had kept the money without following through on the plan. Laita, frustrated, confided in Larry’s cousin on Soft White Underbelly, saying, “I don’t know what to do with them other than just walk away.”
Despite all the turmoil, Laita later revealed that he had reconnected with the Whittakers. In a video, Larry apologized, saying, “I’m sorry for what they’ve done to you and I want to tell the whole world that I’m sorry for what they done.” Laita accepted the apology, stating, “I’m very good at forgiving and understanding. I’ve missed you guys, and I think a lot of my viewers have missed you guys too.”
Laita is now warning others not to attempt to replicate his documentary work with the Whittakers. He explains that the family is unlikely to warmly welcome visitors, noting that they are somewhat shielded by their neighbors and relatives, who aren’t fond of outsiders coming to mock them.
At the same time, Pastor William Plumley shared his thoughts with the Daily Mail: “The documentary has both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, it has helped them, but on the other, it has attracted a lot of people to the area who only want to cause trouble.”
