Documentary filmmaker Mark Laita, who brought widespread attention to the Whittaker family—often called "America's most inbred family"—has shared the haunting details of his first encounter with them in Odd, West Virginia. Laita, who first documented the family five years ago, continues to visit and post updates on his YouTube channel, Soft White Underbelly.
First Meeting Described as 'Out of Control'
Speaking on the Koncrete Klips podcast, Laita recalled the moment he arrived at the family's property. "We came around to this road, which turns into a country road, which turns into a dirt road," he said. "Then we come to this trailer and then a little shack on the other side of the road. And there's these people walking around and their eyes are going in different directions and they are barking at us."
Laita compared the scene to the thriller film Deliverance. He described one family member who would scream and run away, his pants falling down, and kick a garbage can repeatedly. "It was out of control—the craziest thing I have ever seen," Laita said.
Building Trust with the Family
Initially, the family was wary of Laita. Locals are protective of the Whittakers, so gaining their trust required help from a police officer who accompanied him to their home. Eventually, Laita earned their confidence by offering to photograph them for a deceased relative's casket.
The pattern of inbreeding in the family began when children of identical twin brothers Henry and John married each other. This led to generations of inbreeding, resulting in severe disabilities among many descendants.
Documentary Work and Public Reaction
Laita returned in 2020 to film Inbred Family - The Whittakers. His YouTube channel now features videos like "Christmas season with the Whittakers," "The Whittaker family cemetery," and "The Whittakers go to the state fair." He noted that communication with the family remains difficult.
Reactions to his videos are mixed. Some viewers call him an "exploitative b******," while others find the footage "incredible." Laita acknowledged the exploitative nature of his work but argued it is unavoidable. "It feels exploitative but I think it's good for us all to know that these things exist," he said. "The hotel I'm staying at, they're exploiting my need for sleep. The restaurant I ate breakfast at is exploiting my hunger. Everything is exploitative. Photography and video are especially by nature exploitative."
