Two Americans accused of using their adopted black children as slaves

A judge in Kanawha County (West Virginia, United States) has accused an american couple of using their adopted black children as slaves, reports local media Metro News.

The 63-year-old father and the 62-year-old mother were arrested in October 2023 after the discovery of two of the five children in a ruined hangar in Sissonville, 23 kilometers from the capital Charleston.

The teenagers aged 14 and 16 were deprived of running water, clean clothes, food and forced to sleep on the floor, according to court documents relayed by the Daily Mail.

Forced labor on agricultural land

“It’s a clubhouse for teenagers” defended the mother. The couple has also pleaded not guilty to the numerous charges. These include trafficking of minor children, use of minor children in forced labor, and child neglect, creating a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death.

“These children were targeted because of their race and were used essentially as slaves,” explained Judge Maryckaire Akers. The parents allegedly used their children by making them work on agricultural land. The couple’s next court appearance is scheduled for September 9.