Topline: Officers say the nonverbal boy, found naked on an I-4 ramp, was rescued by bystanders just before reaching highway traffic.
Published: October 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Jeremy Rouse (via Seminole County Jail)
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — A late-night food delivery run in Seminole County turned into a criminal investigation after police say a nonverbal child with autism was found naked and alone on an Interstate 4 entrance ramp — while the man responsible for him kept delivering orders.
According to the Altamonte Springs Police Department, officers spotted the boy running down the I-4 ramp near Altamonte Springs on Oct. 16. The child appeared frightened and unable to communicate, leading officers to realize he was nonverbal and autistic, as reported by WESH.
Moments later, dispatchers received a 911 call about a missing child who matched the same description. Police met the callers — the boy’s mother and her partner — outside a nearby Walgreens, according to WESH.
The mother rushed to check on her son, placing him in her car after confirming he was safe.
She told police she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat while her partner, 35-year-old Jeremy Rouse, made Uber Eats deliveries. When she woke up, she noticed the car was quiet, turned around, and realized her child was gone.
Rouse, who according to Fox 35 Orlando is the boy’s father, said he believed the child had stayed in the back seat as he picked up orders. But when the pair realized the boy was missing, they retraced their delivery route — eventually noticing a large police presence near the highway ramp where their son had been found.
Officers say Rouse later admitted he knew the boy was missing but continued making deliveries anyway, fearing a hit to his Uber Eats rating. According to WESH, he told investigators he didn’t want his rating to drop. Fox 35 Orlando added that Rouse also said he was afraid of being arrested if he returned to the scene.
The child’s discovery may have come just in time. According to Fox 35 Orlando, two bystanders spotted the boy running toward traffic and intervened moments before he could enter the busy highway. One of them, Jamie Cabell, said, “I was running pretty fast. Anything could’ve happened in a matter of seconds because cars were zooming by.” Another rescuer, Alexandre Thomas-Brown, described the chase: “It was like we were running a quarter-mile run, and I had to catch this kid. I’m not going to let him go out into traffic. I have to save him.”
Police arrested Rouse and charged him with child cruelty without great bodily harm and perjury for making a false affidavit in official proceedings, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department. WESH reports he has pleaded not guilty.
A spokesperson told Fox 35 Orlando that the Florida Department of Children and Families has opened an investigation into the incident. The child’s age has not been publicly released, and it remains unclear whether Uber Eats or child protective services have taken further action.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Police: Father Kept Making Uber Eats Deliveries After Realizing Autistic Son Was Missing
Officers say the nonverbal boy, found naked on an I-4 ramp, was rescued by bystanders just before reaching highway traffic.
By Jacob Charles
Published: October 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
Jeremy Rouse (via Seminole County Jail)
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — A late-night food delivery run in Seminole County turned into a criminal investigation after police say a nonverbal child with autism was found naked and alone on an Interstate 4 entrance ramp — while the man responsible for him kept delivering orders.
According to the Altamonte Springs Police Department, officers spotted the boy running down the I-4 ramp near Altamonte Springs on Oct. 16. The child appeared frightened and unable to communicate, leading officers to realize he was nonverbal and autistic, as reported by WESH.
Moments later, dispatchers received a 911 call about a missing child who matched the same description. Police met the callers — the boy’s mother and her partner — outside a nearby Walgreens, according to WESH.
The mother rushed to check on her son, placing him in her car after confirming he was safe.
She told police she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat while her partner, 35-year-old Jeremy Rouse, made Uber Eats deliveries. When she woke up, she noticed the car was quiet, turned around, and realized her child was gone.
Rouse, who according to Fox 35 Orlando is the boy’s father, said he believed the child had stayed in the back seat as he picked up orders. But when the pair realized the boy was missing, they retraced their delivery route — eventually noticing a large police presence near the highway ramp where their son had been found.
Officers say Rouse later admitted he knew the boy was missing but continued making deliveries anyway, fearing a hit to his Uber Eats rating. According to WESH, he told investigators he didn’t want his rating to drop. Fox 35 Orlando added that Rouse also said he was afraid of being arrested if he returned to the scene.
The child’s discovery may have come just in time. According to Fox 35 Orlando, two bystanders spotted the boy running toward traffic and intervened moments before he could enter the busy highway. One of them, Jamie Cabell, said, “I was running pretty fast. Anything could’ve happened in a matter of seconds because cars were zooming by.” Another rescuer, Alexandre Thomas-Brown, described the chase: “It was like we were running a quarter-mile run, and I had to catch this kid. I’m not going to let him go out into traffic. I have to save him.”
Police arrested Rouse and charged him with child cruelty without great bodily harm and perjury for making a false affidavit in official proceedings, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department. WESH reports he has pleaded not guilty.
A spokesperson told Fox 35 Orlando that the Florida Department of Children and Families has opened an investigation into the incident. The child’s age has not been publicly released, and it remains unclear whether Uber Eats or child protective services have taken further action.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Police: Father Kept Making Uber Eats Deliveries After Realizing Autistic Son Was Missing
Officers say the nonverbal boy, found naked on an I-4 ramp, was rescued by bystanders just before reaching highway traffic.
By Jacob Charles
Published: October 23, 2025 8:00 am ET
Jeremy Rouse (via Seminole County Jail)
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — A late-night food delivery run in Seminole County turned into a criminal investigation after police say a nonverbal child with autism was found naked and alone on an Interstate 4 entrance ramp — while the man responsible for him kept delivering orders.
According to the Altamonte Springs Police Department, officers spotted the boy running down the I-4 ramp near Altamonte Springs on Oct. 16. The child appeared frightened and unable to communicate, leading officers to realize he was nonverbal and autistic, as reported by WESH.
Moments later, dispatchers received a 911 call about a missing child who matched the same description. Police met the callers — the boy’s mother and her partner — outside a nearby Walgreens, according to WESH.
The mother rushed to check on her son, placing him in her car after confirming he was safe.
She told police she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat while her partner, 35-year-old Jeremy Rouse, made Uber Eats deliveries. When she woke up, she noticed the car was quiet, turned around, and realized her child was gone.
Rouse, who according to Fox 35 Orlando is the boy’s father, said he believed the child had stayed in the back seat as he picked up orders. But when the pair realized the boy was missing, they retraced their delivery route — eventually noticing a large police presence near the highway ramp where their son had been found.
Officers say Rouse later admitted he knew the boy was missing but continued making deliveries anyway, fearing a hit to his Uber Eats rating. According to WESH, he told investigators he didn’t want his rating to drop. Fox 35 Orlando added that Rouse also said he was afraid of being arrested if he returned to the scene.
The child’s discovery may have come just in time. According to Fox 35 Orlando, two bystanders spotted the boy running toward traffic and intervened moments before he could enter the busy highway. One of them, Jamie Cabell, said, “I was running pretty fast. Anything could’ve happened in a matter of seconds because cars were zooming by.” Another rescuer, Alexandre Thomas-Brown, described the chase: “It was like we were running a quarter-mile run, and I had to catch this kid. I’m not going to let him go out into traffic. I have to save him.”
Police arrested Rouse and charged him with child cruelty without great bodily harm and perjury for making a false affidavit in official proceedings, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department. WESH reports he has pleaded not guilty.
A spokesperson told Fox 35 Orlando that the Florida Department of Children and Families has opened an investigation into the incident. The child’s age has not been publicly released, and it remains unclear whether Uber Eats or child protective services have taken further action.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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