Filmmaker Mark Laita has spent decades documenting the Whittaker family of Odd, West Virginia, a clan marked by extreme isolation and possible inbreeding. First encountering them in 2004, Laita quickly realized communication with the family was unlike anything he had seen — instead of conventional English, members relied on grunts, barks, and gestures to interact.

Initial meetings were tense. Locals often stood armed to protect the family, making it difficult for outsiders to gain access. Over time, however, Laita earned the family’s trust and included them in his photography book Created Equal, capturing a chilling and raw portrait of their daily life.

During an appearance on the Koncrete KLIPS podcast, Laita recalled one of the most chaotic moments he witnessed: family members moving erratically around a broken-down trailer, barking, screaming, and acting unpredictably in ways he described as uncontrollable mayhem. He compared the scene to the film Deliverance, but noted that the reality was far more disturbing.

Through his Soft White Underbelly project, Laita has shared glimpses of the family’s daily routines, from shopping trips to personal grooming, drawing millions of views online. While he cannot confirm the exact family tree, Laita suspects inbreeding has contributed to significant physical and mental impairments among siblings and cousins, creating one of the most extreme cases of genetic isolation in the United States.