LAKE CITY, Fla. (Court TV) — Two siblings facing felony child abuse charges for allegedly caging their siblings beneath their beds appeared in court asking for their bonds to be lowered.
Dallin Griffith appears in court for a bond hearing on Sept. 17, 2025. (Court TV)
Dallin and Liberty Griffeth are facing charges along with their parents, Brian and Jill Griffeth, for child abuse after nine underage children in their home reported receiving extreme punishments and being locked in their beds.
Dallin appeared in court first on Wednesday. His attorney told Judge Garrett Hill that prosecutors had agreed to reduce the bond from $500,000 to $10,000. “Without editorializing too much, there’s levels of culpability in this case,” Assistant State Attorney Madison Hodge told the judge. “The parents are obviously the main culprits.” Judge Hill felt $10,000 was too low, despite the agreement, and set Dallin’s bond at $150,000.
Liberty’s bond was lowered to $100,000 when she appeared before Judge Hill.
Liberty’s defense attorney, Bobi Frank, also asked the court to authorize the release of interviews conducted by the state’s Child Protection Team (CPT) with the underage children in the home. Prosecutors cited privacy concerns for withholding the recordings.
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Liberty Griffeth appears in court for a motion hearing on Sept. 17, 2025. (Court TV)
“I can’t do my job at all right now. I’m handcuffed,” Frank said. “They hold all the cards, but they don’t want to give those cards to me so I can properly defend my client.”
Hodge explained that the interviews contain allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual behavior that are unrelated to Liberty’s case and should be shielded. “There’s no relevant materials as far as any evidence that would support the crime,” Hodge said.
“With all due respect, the state doesn’t get to make unilateral decisions as to whether something is material to my defense or my client,” Frank countered. “The proper mechanism is for the court to make that determination.”
Prosecutors agreed to release three interviews to the defense immediately; Judge Hill said he would review the rest privately and determine whether any should be given to Liberty’s defense.
Both Dallin and Liberty are due to return to court in October as their cases proceed toward trial.
