In West Virginia, a white couple has been sent to prison after being accused of enslave five black children he had adopted. The police found two of the minors, aged 14 and 16, living in a shed without water, electricity or a bathroom. The teenagers slept on the floor and suffered deplorable conditions.

“There was a table and a chair. Nor there was running water and no air circulated. There were no beds and the bathroom for the children looked like a hospital urinal,” said one of the agents in charge of the case. “As soon as the door opened, the heat from inside hit us and the smell made my eyes water.”

The other three children, aged between six and 11, also black, lived in similar circumstances just meters from the couple’s luxurious home. The neighbors alerted the authorities after noticing the children’s absence and suspecting that something was wrong.

Kanawha County Judge Maryclarie Akers expressed outrage during the preliminary trial: “These children were attacked because of their race and basically used as slaves”. The couple has pleaded not guilty, claiming that the children liked what they called ‘clubhouse’. However, the evidence presented contradicts this statement, showing clear abuse and exploitation.

The charges they face include Human trafficking, human rights violations and use of forced labour. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an allegation like this involving human trafficking and human rights violations,” Judge Akers added.

Now the couple He waits in prison for his trial date, facing a dozen crimes for having enslaved the children they were supposed to protect. The local community remains in shock as the horrific details of the case are processed.