According to court and jail records, the charges against Brian, Dallin, and Liberty—each accused of one count of aggravated child abuse—and Jill, who faced three counts, have all been dropped. This decision comes in the wake of a complicated investigation that cast doubt on the veracity of the original claims.

State Attorney John Durrett, representing Florida’s Third Judicial Circuit, highlighted significant inconsistencies during the probe. He noted that during several depositions involving employees of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), there was a noticeable pattern of “blame shifting, finger pointing, and outright denials” concerning the initial allegations.

Durrett further stated that the DCF’s investigation found the sensational claims of the children being treated as slaves and subjected to sexual abuse were nothing more than “salacious gossip” and ultimately “unfounded.” This revelation played a critical role in the decision to release the Griffeth family from jail, underscoring the importance of thorough and accurate investigations in such serious matters.

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.

According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, on July 3, deputies were called to assist DCF with a court-ordered pickup of nine children at the family’s home in Fort White.

Of the nine children, the sheriff’s office said five are Brian and Jill’s biological children, while the four others — ranging in ages seven to 16 — were adopted.

CCSO said the pickup order was issued following the outcome of DCF’s investigation, which started after a woman who worked at the family’s church reported to DCF that one of the Griffeth’s children had a taser.

“Additional concerns were raised about the adopted children being treated unfairly compared to the Griffeths biological children, in addition to the children not knowing their full name or their own birthdays,” CCSO said in a release.

Prior to the pickup order, CCSO said DCF investigators visited the Griffeths’ home to interview the family about the accusations. During the visit, investigators observed the Griffeths’ biological children playing or watching TV, while the adopted children were working on chores, according to CCSO.

When DCF investigators interviewed the Griffeths’ children, CCSO said “various forms of child abuse were discovered.” According to the sheriff’s office, accusations of Brian beating the adopted children with a crane and them being locked in their bedrooms were said.

“As a result of the allegations of physical abuse, DCF investigators obtained a court order to remove all of the children from the home,” CCSO said. “Over the next few days, Child Protection Team (CPT) investigators conducted interviews with all 9 of the children.”

During this set of interviews, CCSO said the children alleged the following:

• They were caged under a bunk bed
• They were forced to lie on the floor and let Jill place a sheet of plywood on top of their bodies, pressing down on them, resulting in splinters
• They were being sprayed in the face with vinegar
• They had been given non-prescribed medication
• They had been told to lie about what happens at the home
• They were not being taken to or provided with schooling

Brian, Jill, Dallin and Liberty were arrested on July 22. CCSO said they were arrested as “a result of the CPT interviews and DCF investigation.”