Four members of a Florida family, Brian and Jill Griffeth, Dallin Griffeth, and Liberty Griffeth, have been arrested and charged after allegedly abusing and caging nine foster and adoptive children in their home.
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More Details On The Florida Family & The Nine Adoptive And Foster Children Allegedly Caged In Their Home
According to NBC News, the family of four is accused of abusing five biologically related children. In addition, they are accused of abusing four adopted children. Per the outlet, the children range in age from 7 to 16. And the group is accused of beating them with canes, locking them in their bedrooms, and giving them nonprescribed medication. In addition, the children were reportedly told to lie about their conditions. Furthermore, they were also allegedly kept from learning how to read or write.
Per the outlet, a “mandatory reporter” at the family’s local church notified authorities about the suspected child abuse. The reporter was reportedly a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To note, one of the children was reportedly seen at the church’s camp “with a functioning electronic stun gun.”
Furthermore, when the family was interviewed by the Department of Children and Families, it was noted that “the adopted children were working on chores.” Meanwhile, the DCF noted that the “biological children were playing or watching TV.”
“It was discovered during this visit there is a 10th foster child that was not present but was with their biological parent in Arizona. A well-being check was done by the Glendale Police Department, and the child was safe and healthy,” the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office noted in a statement shared via Facebook on Friday, July 25.
More Details On The Arrest & Charges Against Brian and Jill Griffeth, Dallin Griffeth, And Liberty Griffeth For Alleged Caged Children
Furthermore, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, “various forms of child abuse were discovered” by the DCF during the visit. Subsequently, the nine children were interviewed and shared that in addition to the aforementioned acts, they were also:
“caged under the bunk bed by screwing in plywood to prevent [their] escape, being forced to lie on the floor by the mother, Jill, and having her place a sheet of plywood on top of [their] body and press down on them, resulting in splinters and pain, [and] being sprayed in the face with vinegar as a form of punishment.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Brian and Jill Griffeth, Dallin Griffeth, and Liberty Griffeth were arrested on July 22. Furthermore, they have been charged with aggravated child abuse. And they were reportedly being held at the Columbia County Detention Facility on a $500,000 bond, each. Lastly, the office notes that the children “were removed from this house of abuse.”
A Couple In West Virginia Was Recently Sentenced For Alleged Trafficking Of Their Adopted Children
Before the arrest of Brian and Jill Griffeth, Dallin Griffeth, and Liberty Griffeth, the Florida family, a couple in West Virginia, made headlines for their alleged treatment of their adoptive children. As The Shade Room previously reported, in March, Donald Ray Lantz and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather were sentenced. Additionally, this came after they were charged with forcing labor and human trafficking their five Black, adopted children.
Furthermore, in October 2023, the couple was found to be locking the children in a shed and using them “basically as slaves.”
RELATED: UPDATE: West Virginia Couple Sentenced After Reportedly Being Charged With Forced Labor & Trafficking Of Adopted Children
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