Brian Griffeth, 47, Jill Griffeth, 41, and their two grownup organic youngsters — Dallin Griffeth, 21, and Liberty Griffeth, 19 — have all been arrested and charged with aggravated little one abuse, after they allegedly subjected their adopted and foster youngsters to myriad types of abuse.
A Florida household is dealing with disturbing allegations of maximum abuse after being accused of abusing their adopted and foster youngsters — together with beatings, meals deprivation, and even confinement in a do-it-yourself “cage.”
Brian Griffeth, 47, Jill Griffeth, 41, and their two grownup organic youngsters — Dallin Griffeth, 21, and Liberty Griffeth, 19 — have all been arrested and charged with aggravated little one abuse, in keeping with Columbia County courtroom information.
The investigation into the Griffeths started after one of many youngsters allegedly introduced a Taser to a Mormon church camp in Branford, Florida. When questioned, the dad and mom reportedly instructed authorities the system “was pretend and a toy,” however an arrest warrant reviewed by Regulation&Crime acknowledged, “regulation enforcement decided the system was an precise weapon.”
Following the incident, a church worker raised purple flags with little one welfare authorities. In keeping with the arrest affidavit, the worker instructed investigators the Griffeths had not too long ago moved from Arizona to Florida with a number of foster youngsters and that they “primarily foster or undertake African American youngsters.”
The worker expressed concern the youngsters “are being handled unfairly,” and famous they have been “not receiving correct schooling, as not one of the foster or adopted youngsters are conversant in their final names or primary private data.” The affidavit added: “The kids act as employee[s], not relations.”
When little one protecting companies confirmed up on the Griffeths’ dwelling in rural Columbia County, Jill Griffeth allegedly refused to let investigators inside or enable interviews with the youngsters. She finally allowed them in, however solely beneath supervision, in keeping with the warrant.
Throughout these first interviews, a number of the youngsters reportedly did not know their birthdates. The affidavit says Jill “needed to right them or appeared up the data on her cellphone.” She allegedly ended the interviews early, telling officers she wished to “seek the advice of together with her legal professional.”
Authorities additionally seen a baby who was “anticipated to be current” was lacking. Jill reportedly claimed the kid had “by no means been to Florida,” however one in every of her youngsters corrected her. It was later revealed the woman had lived with the household earlier in 2024 — till she contacted her organic mom in Arizona, “begging her to come back get her,” in keeping with the courtroom paperwork.
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In a redacted portion of the report, the Arizona mom allegedly instructed authorities no less than one grownup within the dwelling sexually assaulted one of many youngsters.
The report additionally states that Brian Griffeth “beats the foster and adopted youngsters with a cane however is cautious to not go away a mark.” One witness reportedly instructed investigators that “if there wasn’t sufficient meals, the foster and adopted youngsters within the dwelling wouldn’t get any meals.”
The Griffeths reportedly have 5 organic youngsters, three adopted youngsters, and one foster little one. All youngsters have been faraway from the house earlier this month.
Throughout a remedy session, a 14-year-old boy alleged he was “caged in his bunk mattress at dwelling as punishment.” In keeping with the warrant, he stated the adults would use a bit of plywood to cowl the opening to his bottom-tier mattress — even at evening — and he typically needed to wait till morning to make use of the lavatory.
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“[The boy] additionally reported that his mom sometimes asks him to scooch out of his mattress and lie on the ground, throughout which she presses the plywood sheet onto his chest and again as a type of punishment, leading to splinters that trigger damage,” the affidavit acknowledged. “[The boy] lifted his shirt and pointed to a number of scars from this punishment.”
On one event, the boy claimed that when he banged on the plywood to be let loose, “his mom unscrewed the plywood, main him to consider he could be freed. Nevertheless, she then instructed him to lie again down and pressed the plywood onto his chest,” earlier than fastening it once more.
The boy additionally stated he’d been “prayed within the face with vinegar” as punishment.
Two youthful youngsters — ages 9 and seven — shared almost an identical accounts. The 14-year-old, they stated, was “confined to his mattress a lot of the day and evening,” solely let loose “for lunch, dinner, each time he desires to play, and generally on his brothers’ request.” A inexperienced drill was reportedly used to safe the plywood in place. The dad and mom allegedly instructed investigators this was executed as a result of the boy “tends to steal.”
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One other sibling stated her caged brother “likes it in his mattress and sleeps loads.”
Two teenage women, ages 14 and 15, additionally backed up the claims in regards to the bunk-bed confinement. The 14-year-old woman additionally revealed she had “not attended faculty for six or seven years,” was “unsure of her present grade stage,” and “talked about that she is illiterate.”
She claimed her mom as soon as “sprayed [her] earlier than mattress with vinegar,” saying the vinegar “burned her eyes making her cry herself to sleep.”
The 15-year-old woman shared one other alleged disparity in how the Griffeths handled their organic youngsters in comparison with the adopted and foster youngsters: cellphones.
“[She] defined that she’s requested for a cellphone however her mom stated she has to study to learn earlier than she will get a cellphone,” the warrant famous.
All 4 members of the Griffeth household are presently being held within the Columbia County Jail with out bond.
If you’re experiencing or witness little one abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Little one Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Little one or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. When you consider a baby is in instant hazard, name 911.
