Four members of a foster family in Florida have been arrested after some of the children reported being beaten, held in cages, and having their education neglected, according to police.
Police said they were alerted to the alleged abuse after one of the children was found to be in possession of an electric stun gun at a church camp operated by the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Branford. The children were living at the home of Brian and Jill Griffeth on Boundary Way in Fort White.
Children said the mother punished them by making them lie down, putting plywood on top of them, and pressing down to cause pain and splinters.
Officials found that four foster children were made to work and do chores while the five biological children were playing or watching television. The children were between the ages of 7 and 16 years old.
The investigation found that children claimed they were confined under a bunk bed with plywood secured by screws and that they were locked in their rooms and beaten with a cane.
Children also said the mother punished them by making them lie down, putting plywood on top of them, and pressing down to cause pain and splinters. They said they were sprayed in the face with vinegar, were given non-prescribed medication, and were not given proper schooling.
Some of the kids were illiterate and didn’t know their dates of birth.
On Tuesday, the Griffeths were arrested along with two adult children, Dillan and Liberty.
All were charged with aggravated child abuse, booked into the Columbia County Jail, and given a bond of $500,000.
According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the children had been privately adopted in Arizona before the family moved to Florida.
“It’s a very nice compound, peaceful town, country town. Everybody keeps to themselves,” said Gerald Rodgers, a resident of the area, to WCBJ-TV. “I would never know something was going on like that. I’m glad y’all are out here reporting on it.”
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