UPDATE Nov. 4, 2025: All criminal charges were dropped in this case.
From the First Coast News on Nov. 2, 2025:
“John Durrett, state attorney for the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida, explained in a notice that in several depositions in which Florida Department of Children and Families employees were interviewed, there was a series of ‘blame shifting, finger pointing, and outright denials of matters contained within the initial reports and response.’
“Durrett said in the notice that the allegations of the children being treated like slaves and sexually abused were ‘salacious gossip’ and determined to be ‘unfounded’ in DCF’s investigation.”
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Original news report from July 25, 2025:
Four Mormon family members (two parents and two adult biological children) have been arrested in Florida after alleged abuse, including sexual abuse, of several Black foster/adopted children. One child was allegedly kept for long periods of time in a makeshift cage.
Case report: https://floodlit.org/a/e997/
Four members of the Griffeth family, a Mormon family near Lake City, Florida, were arrested on charges related to child abuse, including sexual assault on a child.
Dallin Griffeth, a 21-year-old son in the family, went on a Spanish-speaking LDS church mission in approximately 2022 to 2024.
Four members of the family, including the two parents and two adult children, were being held without bail after accusations that they had abused several adopted and foster children in the home.
An LDS church employee reportedly told investigators the Griffeths primarily fostered and adopted African-American children, treating them like workers instead of family members.
One child was allegedly kept for long periods of time in a makeshift cage.
According to records obtained by Floodlit, we believe the Griffeth family may have attended the Branford Ward in the Lake City Florida Stake.
This is a developing story. Floodlit will provide updates as we get them.
