Father accused of keeping 6-year-old in makeshift cage sentenced to 5 years probation

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dustin Michael Gerard Huff, 35, has been sentenced to five years of probation after entering a plea of nolo contendere to child neglect in a case that made national news because of allegations that Huff and his wife, Yurui Xie, 31, kept their 6-year-old son in a makeshift cage after school while both parents were at work.

The child reportedly told a Department of Children and Families investigator that Huff had built the enclosure for him and that he was placed in it overnight and after school, when Xie came home from work, placed him in the enclosure with both latches locked, and went back to work; he said he was taken out when Huff got home from work.

The parents reportedly said they’d had trouble finding after-school care for the child because he is “disobedient” and that he wakes up in the middle of the night and “disturb[s] the house.”

Both parents were initially charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse (the second count was for allegedly placing their 2-year-old in an upside-down crib to sleep) and one count of child neglect without serious bodily harm when they were arrested on December 8, 2023, and bail was initially set at $600,000 for each of them. Xie’s bond was reduced to $50,000 a few weeks later, and she was released from jail. Huff’s bail was reduced to $50,000 on January 25, and he was also released from jail.

On March 11, Huff entered a plea of nolo contendere to a charge of child neglect in exchange for five years of probation; Judge William Davis withheld adjudication of guilt on the felony charge. Formal charges of aggravated child abuse were not filed.

Xie’s case is still pending; she is facing a single charge of child neglect.

  • What a joke. Thanks for the ASA in charge of this case as well as the judge. Now this guy can still buy a gun and gets a slap on the wrist. Unbelievable. If you want to commit a crime do it in Alachua County, once they release you on probation the county commission will give you a free place to stay.

  • That’s some BS , they both deserve jail time. To keep there children locked up like dogs for hours on in and to get a slap on the wrist. How the heck!!! Judgment should be over turned . I wonder how many ppl will lock there kids up and get the same sentence??? Someone plz get there kids!!!

  • Hey if you’re able to abort your child why can’t you cage the animal?

    We live in a sick, distorted world…

  • Are these poor children being given back to these two idiots?

  • Yeah right. Next thing you wacko republican right wingers will be demanding is the amputation of a hand for shoplifting.

    The reason they got probation is because sentencing guidelines is based on points scored. Since he has no criminal record, his score sheet total sentence points was calculated as a non prison sanction.

    If total sentence points are equal or less than 44, the lowest permissible sentence is any nonstate prison sanction (which is usually less than 1 year)

    Anything scoring over 44 points means mandatory prison, and the length of the sentence is determined by the scoring system’s formula: (total points – 28) X .75.

    If total sentence points are greater than or equal to 363, a life sentence may be imposed, which is probably what all you wacko republicans want everybody accused of a crime yet not convicted to get. Except of course, Trump, because he’s a saint that can do no wrong. 🥳

    • Dam right you trash should have a hand amputated for theft!
      You trash should have to use a colostomy bag for rap/sexual assault.
      You trash should be beaten within an inch of your lives for abuse!
      You trash should be executed when found guilty of any and all heinous crimes!
      You trash should reap what you sow!

    • In Dubai crime rate is 0.5%, they cut the right hand of a thief and guess what they do to someone who is a rapist. Safest place to be since people behave knowing their actions will have serious consequences.

    • Charge the aggravated child abuse instead of making a plea deal to where it’s not charged and tell me where the points are now? It’s a game we charge this and it won’t score prison if you accept this plea.

  • 5 years probation huh? Back to life as usual, lock kid in cage again.
    No where but the 8th circuit.

  • We need to look at the judges who are giving out these insane sentences. This one is Judge William Davis. Vote him out if you don’t think he’s competent.

  • These two make me so sick and probation really I feel like somebody should chain them up to a long chain with a collar on and a padlock and they should get beat every single day three times a day for about 365 days

  • The brings to light the common impossibility of college educated (and loan indebted) parents for affording daycare service. Someone needs to tell smart girls to have kids first, raised in a marriage — then she goes to college and gets in student debt later — while the married dad works to pay off his student loan before then.
    Logic is your friend.

  • Governor Desantis , This entire Alachua County Government needs urgent oversight. They promote Bidens agendas and lawlessness,.
    Our crime rate, and economic failures and despair are more than evident. Please audit Police ,ACBC, ACSB, and of course Grec, GRU , and the entire Gainesville City Staff and Commissioners

    • do you really think Disaster reads OUR local news? maybe you should go to tally to talk to him yourself.. good luck.

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