Former University of Florida Employees Resolve Child Neglect Case After Allegations of Keeping Children in Makeshift Cages

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A criminal case involving two former University of Florida employees, accused of confining their young children inside makeshift cages, has now been resolved after both defendants entered plea agreements.

The couple, Dustin Huff and Yurui Xie, were arrested in December 2023 after an investigation into allegations that their two children, ages 6 and 2, had been locked inside homemade cages for extended periods of time.

Yurui Xie 


According to police reports, the case came to light after the older child told a teacher that he did not want to go home because his father had built a cage and would lock him inside. 

The report was passed to the Florida Department of Children and Families, which launched an investigation that later involved law enforcement, as per Fox5Orlando

During the investigation, police uncovered that Huff and Xie kept both children inside makeshift cages while they were away at work and during overnight hours. 

On Dec. 8, 2023, the couple was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony, along with one count of child neglect, a third-degree felony. Both initially pleaded not guilty.

Authorities said both children received medical attention following the investigation and were later placed in the care of a family member. Court orders also prohibits Huff and Xie from having contact with each other or with the children.

At the time of their arrests, Huff and Xie were employed by the University of Florida, and both were also graduates of the same institution. 

University officials also confirmed that both worked for the institution and were placed on administrative leave following their arrests.

University records showed that Xie worked as the safety manager for the Plant Pathology Department after being hired full-time in June 2019. Huff worked as a biological scientist in the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department and had been employed full-time since December 2017. 





The criminal cases didn't proceed to trial and they were later resolved through separate agreements.

In March 2024, Huff entered a no-contest plea to one count of child neglect, and Circuit Judge William E. Davis sentenced him to five years of supervised probation, which is scheduled to continue through March 2029 if he complies with all conditions. 

Court records showed that Huff could have faced up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine under the charge if he had gone to trial.

Xie's case concluded in February 2025 when she entered a pre-trial intervention agreement and agreed to plead no contest to one count of child neglect. Judge Davis approved the agreement, which remains in effect for five years.

Under the terms of the agreement, Xie must remain free from violations of the law, pay restitution and required fees, avoid possessing firearms or illegal drugs, check in monthly with a probation officer, and disclose her history with the case to future employers or schools. She is also required to pay a $250 fee to the State Attorney's Office.

The agreements brought an end to a case that began after a child's report to a teacher led authorities to investigate allegations that two young children had been confined inside makeshift cages while their parents were away or during the night.


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