Florida Family Arrested for Alleged Child Abuse, Accused of Beating and Locking Adopted Kids Underneath Floorboards

Four members of a Florida family have been arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse after nine adopted and foster children reported disturbing acts of mistreatment, including being locked beneath floorboards and beaten with a cane.

Brian Griffeth, 47; his wife Jill, 41; and their children Dallin, 21, and Liberty, 19, were taken into custody on July 22, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). The arrests followed a court-ordered intervention by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) earlier in the month at the family’s home in Fort White.

The children, ranging in age from 7 to 16, told authorities they were subjected to a litany of abuse. During interviews, some claimed they were confined under bunk beds that had been screwed shut with plywood, sprayed in the face with vinegar, and physically beaten with canes. Others said they were forced to lie beneath plywood boards while weight was pressed down on them to prevent escape.

Investigators also said the children were not enrolled in school, were not taught to read or write, and were given non-prescribed medications. Several of the children allegedly did not know their own last names or basic personal information.

The investigation began after a mandatory reporter from the Griffeths’ local congregation — the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Branford — alerted authorities about potential abuse. The tip came after one of the children was seen at church with what turned out to be a functioning stun gun. The family had initially claimed it was a toy, but it was later verified as real.

The children involved included five biological and four adopted kids, according to officials. A tenth foster child, who was not at the residence during the DCF pickup, was later found safe in Arizona with their biological parents.

The arrest warrant also revealed troubling allegations that the Griffeths “primarily foster or adopt African American children,” raising concerns about racial bias in the treatment of the children. A church staffer reportedly expressed fears that these children were being “treated unfairly” compared to the Griffeths’ biological kids.

Even more alarming, one foster child has accused the Griffeths’ adult son, Dallin, of sexual assault, according to the warrant.

Brian, Jill, Dallin, and Liberty Griffeth are currently being held at the Columbia County Detention Facility. Their bond has been set at $500,000 each.