4 Florida adults allegedly held 9 youngsters captive inside their house, locked them in makeshift cages, compelled their adopted children to do chores and sprayed them with vinegar as a twisted punishment.
Officers uncovered the brutal therapy of the youngsters inside a cell house in Fort White, Florida on July 3, in line with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Workplace.
5 of the youngsters are organic to the household, whereas 4 of them have been adopted in a non-public course of in Arizona. They vary in age from 7 to 16.
Mind Matthew Griffeth, 47, Jill Elizabeth Griffeth, 41, Dallin Russel Griffeth, 21, and Liberty Ann Griffeth, 19, have been arrested and charged with aggravated little one abuse on July 22.
Police have been first notified of the suspected horrors inside the house when a church official reported one of many youngsters was armed with a functioning electrical stun gun at a church camp in Branford, Florida.
Brian Griffeth claimed the stun gun was a toy and pretend, however officers later decided it was actual, in line with an arrest warrant obtained by Regulation & Crime.
Officers grew extra involved concerning the therapy of the 4 adopted youngsters throughout a wellness verify, the place they found the 4 foster youngsters doing chores whereas the 5 organic youngsters have been enjoying or watching TV, police mentioned.
The 4 adults allegedly abused the youngsters contained in the 3-bedroom, 2-bath residence after transferring the household from Arizona to Florida.
The house, situated within the deep woods of Columbia County, 35 miles northwest of Gainesville, was inbuilt 2001 and final bought in March 2024, in line with a web based actual property itemizing.
The Griffeths allegedly caged the youngsters beneath a bunk mattress by screwing a bit of plywood to stop escape, sprayed vinegar of their faces as punishment and gave them non-prescribed remedy.
Jill Griffeth can also be accused of forcing the youngsters to lie on the ground and urgent a sheet of plywood on high of the kid, leading to ache and splinters, police revealed.
Brian Griffeth allegedly beat his adopted and foster youngsters with a cane however was cautious to not go away a mark on his alleged victims, the outlet reported.
The adults allegedly instructed the youngsters to lie concerning the dwelling situations inside the house and by no means offered correct education for the children in studying or writing.
One of many youngsters, 14, claimed he was “routinely” locked beneath a bunk mattress the place the adults screwed on a bit to create the makeshift cage and was locked inside for a majority of the day and night time, solely being let loose for lunch and dinner and every time “he needs to play,” he instructed investigators, in line with Regulation & Crime.
The teenager mentioned if he wanted to make use of the lavatory at night time, he must maintain it and wait till the following morning when he was free of beneath the bunk mattress cage.
He additionally instructed detectives he was uneducated, was within the fourth grade, and didn’t know his birthday in line with News4Jax.
A 14-year-old lady mentioned she was “illiterate,” claiming she hadn’t been to highschool in years, in line with the outlet.
A tenth little one, who had lived with the household as a foster little one, was discovered dwelling with their organic mother and father in Arizona, unhurt, police mentioned.
The lady had moved to Florida with the household in 2024, however referred to as her mom, begging to come back get her,” Regulation & Crime reported.
The lady’s organic mom accused no less than one of many Griffeth adults of sexual assault on one of many youngsters, the outlet reported, citing courtroom paperwork.
The Griffeth adults have been booked into the Columbia County Detention Facility on $500,000 bonds.
Jill Griffeth’s bond is listed as $1,500,000 in line with courtroom data seen by The Put up.
The kids have been faraway from the home below a Florida Division of Youngsters and Households order.
Youngster Safety Workforce investigators interviewed all 9 youngsters earlier than arrests have been made within the alleged abuse.
