The filmmaker who shed light on the infamous “most inbred family in America” has shared details of his initial encounter with them.
Mark Laita, who first documented the Whittaker family from Odd, West Virginia, five years ago, has revisited them periodically to provide updates through his YouTube channel.
The family’s history of inbreeding traces back to the marriage of children from identical twin brothers Henry and John, leading to generations of inbreeding and resulting in severe disabilities among their descendants.
Laita revealed the challenges he faced initially in approaching the family due to their protective neighbors. However, with the help of a police officer, he managed to visit their residence.
Speaking on the Koncrete Klips podcast, the filmmaker described the surreal experience of reaching the family’s remote location, likening it to a scene from the movie Deliverance.
Despite the family’s initial reluctance, Laita gradually built a connection by offering to take photos for a deceased relative’s coffin. He later returned in 2020 to film a documentary titled Inbred Family – The Whittakers.
Acknowledging the difficulty in communication, Laita has continued to document the family’s life through videos on his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly. Some of the video titles include “Christmas season with the Whittakers”, “The Whittaker family cemetery”, and “The Whittakers go to the state fair.”
Over time, Laita has received mixed feedback from viewers, with some criticizing him as exploitative while others praise the content as remarkable. He admitted to the exploitative nature of his work but argued that it serves a purpose in raising awareness of societal realities.
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