The man who discovered and documented America’s “most inbred family” Mark Latia claims that he will no longer be affiliated with the family after finding out that they have been lying to him.
In addition, there have been disputes about money and claims of exploitation, which Latia didn’t appreciate. Latia posted videos about the Whittakers’ lives on his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly, in Odd, West Virginia.
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Latia’s documentation of the Whittakers’ lives
Latia first met the family in 2004 when he visited them in their home in Odd, West Virginia. The neighbors weren’t welcoming Latia’s presence and were protective of the Whittakers but when Latia explained the reason behind why he was there, they let him be.
Latia maintained contact with the family for 20 years but started filming and documenting their lives in 2020.
How the Whittakers live their lives
The Whittakers have no education and live in an isolated shack with several dogs in a rural area, cut off from civilization. Some of the members can only speak in grunts or squeals and appear to have several physical and mental health conditions.
Beware the Whittakers’ neighbors
Latia warned his viewers that if anyone intends to visit the family to mock or disturb them, they’ll have to think again.
The Whittakers’ neighbors are intolerant of anyone coming to ridicule the family and will not hesitate to chase them away.
Why they are dubbed ‘the most inbred family’
When Betty Whittaker was asked why the family had disabilities, she said that she didn’t know. However, in a later video, she admits their parents were double first cousins.
When Kenneth Whittaker was also asked why the family members’ eyes don’t point forward, Kenneth said: “Might be coal mining.”
How Latia’s work helped the Whittakers
Through Latia’s documentation of the Whittakers’ lives, he helped raise money to pay for repairs and improvements for their home.
He was also attempting to buy them a new house. The purpose behind Latia’s work is to raise awareness about inbreeding and what it entails.
The conflict between the Whittakers and Latia
The conflict began when Latia learned of the death of 67-year-old patriarch Larry Whittaker.
In the wake of his death, Latia donated $1,000 to his funeral costs. What Latia didn’t know was that Larry’s death was fake, and he was still alive.
Larry Whittaker discusses his own death
Fans found out the truth through a YouTube video named The Death of Larry Whittaker. In this video, Larry discussed his alleged death, sitting outside of his family home. He was asked whether he was behind the news or not, to which he replied that he wasn’t.
Turns out, Larry’s daughter is the culprit
Latia had given Larry’s daughter, BJ, the money he donated to help with the funeral. She later admitted that she was behind the lie and apologized to Latia. Latia forgave her but the tension between himself and the Whittakers has spiked.
The Whittakers’ deception didn’t stop at this point
Turns out, Latia gave Larry $700 for BJ to help her start a new life in North Carolina. Apparently, Larry kept the money and hasn’t taken BJ anywhere.
Latia said that the Whittakers had been receiving money from the government before he started documenting their lives. He doesn’t understand the reason behind their deception.
The fate of Latia’s relationship with the Whittakers
Latia made a recent video update called Spring 2024 where he chatted with Larry’s cousin, Jason, about the family’s deception. He concluded that with the ongoing deception, he sees no option but to walk away, to which Jason agreed.
