Altamonte Springs, FL — A 35-year-old Florida man has been arrested after allegedly leaving his young special needs son unattended in a car while continuing to make Uber Eats deliveries. The child was later found running naked and alone along Interstate 4.
Incident Details
Jeremy Jaron Rouse, 35, was charged with cruelty toward a child by child abuse without great bodily harm, a felony. Court records show that the incident occurred on October 16.
An Altamonte Springs Police Department officer reported seeing a juvenile running naked down the westbound on-ramp of I-4 around 11:06 p.m. A man, later identified as Rouse, was chasing after the child, grabbing him just as he was about to enter oncoming traffic.
The child appeared nonverbal and autistic, and a 911 call regarding a missing juvenile matching his description had just been received, as per Law&Crime.
Father’s Actions Questioned
Authorities said that Rouse allegedly continued his delivery route instead of immediately ensuring the child’s safety. He reportedly admitted he was concerned about his Uber Eats rating and feared being blamed for the incident.
After completing the delivery, Rouse reportedly let the woman he was delivering with pick up the child, citing fear of arrest.
Police Response and Investigation
The woman who accompanied Rouse claimed she had fallen asleep in the car and did not notice the child was missing until later. She initially met police at a nearby Walgreens to retrieve the child but later recanted her statement.
Police have recommended charges against the woman for child cruelty and perjury for allegedly allowing the deliveries to continue and providing a false account of events.
Arrest and Court Appearance
Jeremy Jaron Rouse was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear for his arraignment on December 2.
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