The man who made America’s most infamous inbred family famous has issued a stark warning to outsiders.
Mark Laita, a filmmaker and photographer, has been documenting the Whittakers of Odd, West Virginia, for over 20 years.
They are widely known as “America’s most inbred family.” Many members communicate through grunts, barks, and gestures instead of words.
Their lives have fascinated millions online. But Laita says people shouldn’t expect a warm welcome if they try to visit.
First Encounter With the Whittakers
Laita first came across the family back in 2004. He met relatives including Ray, Betty, Kenneth, Timmy, and Lorene.
The reception was anything but friendly. Protective neighbors confronted him with shotguns, fearing ridicule of the family.
Despite the hostility, Laita persisted and gradually built trust with them.
He photographed the Whittakers for his book Created Equal, which explored unique and diverse American communities.
In 2020, he returned to Odd to film their day-to-day lives for his YouTube channel Soft White Underbelly.
On the Koncrete KLIPS Podcast, Laita recalled his first impressions.
“It was like Deliverance,” he said. “We turned down dirt roads and saw people walking around barking at us.”
“One guy screamed, ran off, his pants falling, then kicked a garbage can. It repeated over and over. The craziest thing I’d seen.”
Laita admitted he can’t definitively prove the Whittakers’ parents were related.
But he called them “the most extreme case I’ve seen” and said inbreeding likely played a part in physical and mental abnormalities.
Siblings Lorene, Freddie, Ray, and cousin Timmy have long displayed conditions consistent with genetic issues, he explained.
Fundraisers and Fallout
Laita’s videos quickly drew millions of views. With the attention came donations.
Through his channel, he organized fundraising campaigns that brought in thousands of dollars for the family.
But controversy erupted when YouTuber Tyler Oliveira filmed the Whittakers for his own video.
In that clip, Betty Whittaker claimed she didn’t know what happened to the funds raised.
This left Laita furious. He felt viewers were being led to believe he’d pocketed donations.
“Look at the Whittakers,” he snapped. “Their lives have improved because I came through every single time.”
To defend himself, he released screenshots of money transfers. He also explained that the family often requested thousands of dollars.
Still, the backlash left him so disheartened he announced he’d stop raising funds for them.
Fake Funeral Scandal
Things escalated further earlier this year.
Laita announced that family member Larry Whittaker had died of a heart attack, citing information from relatives.
But Larry wasn’t dead. He later appeared alive in a follow-up video.
It turned out his own daughter had faked his death to scam $1,000 for a funeral that never existed.
She admitted the lie on camera, cigarette in hand, telling viewers: “I shouldn’t have done it. I need help for my drug addiction.”
The scandal shocked even long-time followers of the Whittakers.
Shortly afterward, Laita gave Larry $700 to take his daughter to North Carolina for a fresh start.
That was supposed to be a condition for continued support.
But allegations surfaced that Larry kept the cash without following through.
Frustrated, Laita vented: “I don’t know what to do with them other than just walk away.”
Forgiveness and Reunion
Despite all the drama, Laita has since reconciled with the family.
In a recent clip, Larry faced the camera and apologized.
“I’m sorry for what they’ve done to you. I want to tell the world I’m sorry,” he said.
Laita responded: “I’m very good at forgiving and understanding. I’ve missed you guys, and I think the viewers have too.”
Warning to Outsiders
But while he forgave them, Laita had one big warning for anyone tempted to seek them out.
He says strangers are unlikely to be welcomed kindly.
“They’re protected by neighbors and relatives who don’t want outsiders mocking them,” he explained.
Pastor William Plumley echoed the concern.
“The documentary helped them,” he said. “But it also brought people who just want to mess with them.”
Laita’s message is clear. Curious fans should think twice before heading to Odd, West Virginia.
Because America’s most inbred family may be fascinating to watch online.
But visiting in person is another story entirely.
Featured image credit: Soft White Underbelly via YouTube
