Florida father arrested after son with autism found naked, running on I-4 ramp, police say
CONFRONTATION OVER AN EBIKE TURNS PHYSICAL IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. POLICE SAY THE ACTIONS OF A UCF PROFESSOR TOOK HIM OFF THE JOB. PLUS, A KICKED IN DOOR AND MULTIPLE MISSING ITEMS. THE ONGOING SEARCH FOR THE PERSON WHO BROKE INTO A LEESBURG HOME. THEN TRACKING TROPICAL STORM MELISSA, THE LATEST TRACKS FOR THE SYSTEM STILL GAINING STRENGTH. WESH TWO NEWS SUNRISE ON CW STARTS NOW. THIS MORNING, A UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA PROFESSOR, NOW OFF THE JOB AFTER OFFICERS SAY HE ATTACKED A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I’M ALAN CAMPBELL AND I’M LINDSEY ALLEN. POLICE SAY IT ALL STARTED WITH A CONFRONTATION ABOUT AN E-BIKE. AS WESH TWO BOB HAZEN EXPLAINS, THE PROFESSOR IS NOW ACCUSED OF SMACKING THE BOY IN THE HEAD. THAT SMACK ALLEGEDLY HAPPENED ON THE CAMPUS OF JACKSON HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND IT WAS DURING SCHOOL HOURS. THAT PROFESSOR IS NAMED SHOW SHAWN PENG, AND UCF SAYS HE’S AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE COLLEGE OF OPTICS AND PHOTONICS. OVIEDO POLICE SAY LAST TUESDAY HE WAS AT THE AQUATIC CENTER HERE AND TOLD A BOY ON AN E-BIKE TO SLOW DOWN. BUT THAT BOY SAID NO. THEY SAY PENG THEN TOLD THE BOY HE WAS GOING TO WALK BEHIND HIM AND FOLLOWED HIM FROM THE AQUATIC CENTER ALL THE WAY TO JACKSON HEIGHTS MIDDLE. WHEN THE BOY GOT TO THE SCHOOL, HE TOLD A FRIEND THAT HE WAS BEING FOLLOWED AND INVESTIGATORS SAY PENG GOT THERE A FEW MINUTES LATER, GRABBED THE BOY, AND THEN SMACKED HIS HELMET OFF OF HIS HEAD. THE FRIEND TRIED TO GET IN BETWEEN THE TWO. POLICE SAY PENG PUSHED THAT CHILD TO STAFF AT THE SCHOOL, THEN GOT INVOLVED AND BROKE IT UP. INVESTIGATORS SAY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT THE SCHOOL CONFIRMED WHAT THE KIDS SAID HAPPENED, AND PENG ALLEGEDLY TOLD AN OFFICER THAT HE FOLLOWED THE E-BIKE RIDER BECAUSE HE WANTED HIM TO APOLOGIZE. HE’S FACING CHARGES NOW FOR BATTERY AND FOR TRESPASSING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. UCF SAYS HE IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. NOW WHILE THEY REVIEW THE SITUATION. COVERING SEMINOLE COUNTY IN OVIEDO, BOB HAZEN WESH TWO NEWS. ALL NEW AT NINE A CHILD WITH AUTISM FOUND NAKED AND ALONE ON AN I-4 ON-RAMP. WHILE POLICE SAY HIS FATHER WAS DRIVING FOR UBER EATS. ALTAMONTE SPRINGS POLICE SAY THEY RECEIVED CALLS ABOUT THAT CHILD LAST THURSDAY. WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED ON SCENE, THEY SAW THE CHILD RUNNING DOWN THE RAMP AND A MAN RUNNING AFTER HIM. THAT PERSON WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE CHILD SO OFFICERS COULD SAFELY PUT HIM INSIDE A PATROL CAR. WHEN POLICE EVENTUALLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE FATHER, JEREMY ROUSE, HE SAID THAT EVEN AFTER REALIZING HIS SON WAS MISSING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR, HE FINISHED HIS DELIVERY BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT HIS RATING. THIS MORNING, ROUSE IS FACING CHARGES OF CHILD ABUSE. WELL, RIGHT NOW, POLICE NEED YOUR HELP FINDING THIS 13 YEAR OLD GIRL. TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS JALEN GLASS. FDLE SAYS SHE WAS LAST SEEN LEAVING THE AREA OF HINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN DAYTONA BEACH YESTERDAY. JALEN IS FIVE FOOT SEVEN AND MAY HAVE A NOSE PIERCING AND A SCAR ON HER RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A PURPLE SHIRT, BLUE JEAN SHORTS AND BLACK SOCKS AND SLIDES. AGAIN, TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN IF YOU’VE SEEN JALEN GIVE. DAYTONA BEACH POLICE OR FDLE A CALL. THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SEARCHING FOR A MAN THEY SAY KICKED IN AN APARTMENT DOOR AND STOLE A GUN AND SAFE. AND THE VICTIM’S TRUCK. DEPUTIES SAY IT HAPPENED AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN LEESBURG ON MONDAY. THEY SHARED THESE PHOTOS OF THE SUSPECT. I KNOW IT’S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE BECAUSE MOST OF THE FACE IS COVERED. THEY ALSO SHARED A PHOTO OF THIS. THE STOLEN DODGE TRUCK. NOW, NEIGHBORS SAY THEY ARE CONSIDERING EXTRA SAFETY STEPS. IT MAKES ME WANT TO GET AN EXTRA LOCK ON MY DOOR AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BE WATCHFUL WHEN I’M TAKING MY TRASH OR CHECKING MY MAIL BECAUSE THAT MAKES ME FEEL VERY UNSAFE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RIGHT NOW AT 902. IN ORANGE COUNTY, A MAN IS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING A UTILITY WORKER BEFORE STEALING HIS TRUCK. DEPUTIES SAY STEPHANO BRUTUS WALKED UP TO THE VICTIM NEAR EDGEWATER DRIVE IN LEE ROAD AROUND 8:00 MONDAY MORNING, ASKING FOR A RIDE. WHEN THE WORKER DECLINED. DEPUTIES SAY THE TWO ARGUED BEFORE BRUTUS ATTACKED THE MAN AND STOLE HIS TRUCK. THEY SAY HE DIDN’T GET FAR BEFORE CRASHING AND TRYING TO STEAL OTHER CARS. NOW HE’S FACING SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CARJACKING. WE ARE NOW LEARNING MORE ABOUT THESE TWO POLICE SCENES WE BROUGHT AS TEAM COVERAGE ON SUNRISE YESTERDAY. ONE A SHOOTING, THE OTHER A CAR CRASH. THIS MORNING. WE’VE CONFIRMED THE TWO ARE IN FACT CONNECTED. POLICE FIRST RUSHED TO THE SCENE IN FRONT OF THE EPIC THEATERS ON EAGLE WATCH DRIVE, RIGHT NEAR ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND THAT IS WHERE THEY FOUND SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN SHOT. THE VICTIM WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL AND IS EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. NOT LONG AFTER, POLICE SPOTTED THE SUSPECT, THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER’S CAR, AND THEN CHASED THEM. THAT CAR ENDED UP CRASHING NEXT TO A TIRE SHOP ABOUT 15 MILES AWAY FROM THE SHOOTING AT LEE AND WYMORE. TWO PEOPLE WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE WHOLE THING IS DRUG RELATED. A 15 YEAR OLD IN BREVARD COUNTY, NOW FACING CHARGES, ACCUSED OF MAKING THREATS AGAINST A MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE PALM BAY POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE TEEN ADMITTED TO SENDING THE MESSAGES, THREATENING TO SHOOT UP CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WEST MELBOURNE. THE TEEN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND CHARGED WITH MAKING WRITTEN THREATS TO CONDUCT A MASS SHOOTING. WELL, FOLKS, IT’S NOW BEEN THREE FULL WEEKS SINCE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BEGAN AND THERE’S STILL NO END IN SIGHT. AND BOTH SIDES SEEMINGLY ARE GROWING FURTHER APART. AS THIS GOES ON. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOSTED GOP SENATORS AT THE WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY, PRAISING THE NATION’S WEALTH, WHILE ALSO SLAMMING DEMOCRATS FOR THE SHUTDOWN. AT THE CENTER OF THIS DEBATE, HEALTH CARE. DEMOCRATS WANT THE RESOLUTION TO EXTEND HEALTH CARE SUBSIDIES, WHICH ARE GOING TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THERE IS NOTHING FAR LEFT OR FAR RIGHT OR CENTER ABOUT WANTING LOWER PREMIUMS. IT’S COMMON SENSE. IT’S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OVERWHELMINGLY WANT. DEMOCRATS CHOSE TO PUT THE DEMANDS OF FAR LEFT ACTIVISTS AHEAD OF SERVING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SENATE DEMOCRATS ALSO WANT THE BILL TO REVERSE THE MEDICAID CUTS IN THE SO-CALLED BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. THEY ARE REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO KEEP THE SENATE IN SESSION LATE TONIGHT IN PROTEST OF STALLED CONVERSATIONS AND NEW DATA FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SHOWS. 60% OF PEOPLE ARE EXTREMELY OR VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CARE COSTS INCREASING OVER THE NEXT YEAR. IN FACT, HEALTH CARE IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE AMONG THOSE POLLED, COMING IN RIGHT BEHIND THE ECONOMY. THAT POLL ALSO SHOWED THAT 42% OF ADULTS HAVE NO OPINION ABOUT EXTENDING THE TAX CREDITS AT THE CENTER OF THE SHUTDOWN DEBATE. AND WHILE THIS GOVERNMENT GRIDLOCK CONTINUES, IT’S REALLY AFFECTING PEOPLE’S BOTTOM LINES. IN FACT, MORE PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO FOOD BANKS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND SNAP BENEFICIARIES SAY THEY’RE AT A BREAKING POINT. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE LINE OF CARS WAITING TO PICK UP FOOD FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER OF SOUTH LAKE IN TAVARES ON TUESDAY WITHOUT PAYCHECKS OR FOOD STAMPS. MANY SAY THIS IS THEIR LAST RESORT. THE CEO OF THE FOOD BANK SAYS THE INCREASE IN NEED AND INFLATION MEANS THEY HAVE TO MAKE CUTS TO THEIR SERVICES. WITH THE EXPANSE OF ORDERING MORE FOOD TO FEED OUR FAMILIES THAT ARE WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR. AND WITH HIGHER FOOD COSTS, OUR DOLLARS DON’T GO AS FAR. THE CENTER JUST RECEIVED A FEDERAL FUNDING CONTRACT EXTENSION. THE ORGANIZATION’S CEO SAYS THE FUNDS WILL ALLOW THEM TO OFFER MORE NUTRITIOUS OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES, AND THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS NOW TO BLAME FOR CANCELING THE ORLANDO AIRSHOW. AS WESH TWO PAOLA TRISTAN ARUDA EXPLAINS, THAT SHOW WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEEKEND. YEAH, THE SHOW WAS SET TO START THIS SATURDAY, AND IT ALWAYS FEATURES SOME GREAT DEMONSTRATIONS, BUT NOW TICKET HOLDERS WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2026. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AIR SHOW SAID THE ONGOING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS RESULTED IN THE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. MILITARY PARTICIPATION. THE SHOW WAS GOING TO TRY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH AN ALL CIVILIAN LINEUP, BUT COULDN’T BECAUSE OF DRAMATICALLY INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS. THIS AIRSHOW FEATURED THE U.S. AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS, A NAVY F, A SUPER HORNET DEMO, AMONG OTHER DEMONSTRATIONS. ON ITS WEBSITE, THE AIR SHOW STATES THAT AS AMERICA PREPARES TO CELEBRATE ITS 250TH BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR, THEY ARE ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT. WITH EXCITING PLANS ON THE HORIZON. TICKET HOLDERS WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH DETAILS ABOUT HOW TO DEFER THEIR TICKETS UNTIL 2026, OR REQUEST A REFUND. COVERING SEMINOLE COUNTY IN SANFORD, PAOLA TRISTAN ARUDA, WESH TWO NEWS AND THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY STEPPING UP TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS SHUTDOWN. A DONATION DRIVE AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CONTINUES TO GROW. IT SET UP RIGHT OUTSIDE TERMINAL C DEPARTURES. THEY’RE COLLECTING NONPERISHABLE FOOD, TOILETRIES, BABY SUPPLIES AND $10 GIFT CARDS. SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE SEEN DONATING SOME ITEMS ON TUESDAY, AND THAT DRIVE RUNS DAILY AT TERMINAL C, AND THE ORLANDO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT THROUGH FRIDAY. REALLY GREAT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED. WELL, THIS MORNING A PILOT IS COOPERATING WITH OFFICIALS AFTER A PLANE SLID OFF THE RUNWAY AT THE NAPLES AIRPORT. INVESTIGATORS SAY LOOK AT THIS PICTURE HERE. THE SMALL CESSNA SLID INTO GRASS AROUND 3:00 TUESDAY MORNING. WE TOLD YOU THE PILOT WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. YESTERDAY AT 9:00. BUT THIS MORNING SHE’S NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED. OUR STATION IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SAYS THE PILOT, BRIANNA BROWN, RETURNED TO THE SCENE TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE PARENTS OF AN 11 YEAR OLD GIRL ARE NOW SUING A SOUTH FLORIDA CLUB FOR $10 MILLION. THEY SAY SHE WAS SEVERELY HURT WHILE PART OF A CAMP AT COCONUT GROVE SAILING CLUB NEAR MIAMI. ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT, ONE OF THE COUNSELORS RAN OVER HER WITH A BOAT, CUTTING HER LEG TO THE BONE. A FAMILY IS SUING THAT CLUB, AND THREE OF ITS COUNSELORS FOR NEGLIGENCE, AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE A DEADLY SAILBOAT CRASH THAT ENDED UP KILLING THREE YOUNG GIRLS DURING A SAILING CAMP WITH THE MIAMI YACHT CLUB. IN THAT CASE, INVESTIGATORS SAY A BARGE STRUCK THE SAILBOAT WITH A WOMAN AND FIVE CHILDREN ON BOARD. A FALCON NINE ROCKET IS GETTING READY TO SEND A SPANISH SATELLITE INTO ORBIT FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA. A FOUR HOUR LAUNCH WINDOW AT CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION OPENS AT 930 TONIGHT. SPACEX SAYS IT WILL BE THE FINAL FLIGHT FOR THE FIRST STAGE BOOSTER SUPPORTING THE MISSION. BACK UP LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SAME TIME THURSDAY IF NEEDED. IT IS 909, YOU KNOW, FINDING A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO HEAL AFTER EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN BE CHALLENGING. AND THAT IS WHY WORK TO PROVIDE LIFESAVING SUPPORT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IN ORLANDO. NEXT, WE ARE SITTING DOWN WITH THE CEO FROM A HARBOR HOUSE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA TO DISCUSS HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED. THEN A BIGGER AND BETTER FAIRGROUNDS COULD BE ON THE HORIZON IN LAKE COUNTY. THE NEXT STEPS FOR A PROPOSAL TO MOVE THE GROUNDS FROM EUSTIS TO TAVARES AND NORDIC COMBINED HAD A PROBLEM. A MONEY PROBLEM LIKE THEY HAD NO MONEY. HOW THEIR MOMS CAME IN TO SAVE THE DAY. SO THE
Florida father arrested after son with autism found naked, running on I-4 ramp, police say
Updated: 10:13 AM EDT Oct 22, 2025
A father is facing several charges after his son, who has autism, was discovered naked on an I-4 ramp, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department. Officers reported witnessing a child running naked down the ramp and attempted to communicate with the child, but realized he was autistic and non-verbal. >> Video above: Top headlines for October 22 in Central FloridaShortly after, officers received a 911 call about a missing child who matched the same description. Altamonte Springs police officers met up with the callers at a nearby Walgreens. Upon arriving, the mother immediately checked the child and placed him into her vehicle. The mother told the police officer that she fell asleep in the passenger seat while the child’s father delivered food for Uber Eats. After she woke up, she noticed it was very quiet and turned around to check up on the child. However, she soon realized he was missing from his seat. The father was also shocked and claimed he thought the child was in the back seat while he picked up orders. After realizing the child was missing, they traced their steps back to every delivery spot. That’s when they saw a heavy law enforcement presence near the I-4 ramp and made the 911 call. The father, 35-year-old Jeremy Rouse, decided to come clean to officers and admitted he knew the child was missing from the back seat. However, he continued making deliveries because he didn’t want his Uber Eats rating to drop. As a result, Rouse was arrested and charged with cruelty toward a child without great bodily harm and perjury for making a false affidavit in official proceedings, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. —
A father is facing several charges after his son, who has autism, was discovered naked on an I-4 ramp, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
Officers reported witnessing a child running naked down the ramp and attempted to communicate with the child, but realized he was autistic and non-verbal.
>> Video above: Top headlines for October 22 in Central Florida
Shortly after, officers received a 911 call about a missing child who matched the same description. Altamonte Springs police officers met up with the callers at a nearby Walgreens.
Upon arriving, the mother immediately checked the child and placed him into her vehicle.
The mother told the police officer that she fell asleep in the passenger seat while the child’s father delivered food for Uber Eats.
After she woke up, she noticed it was very quiet and turned around to check up on the child. However, she soon realized he was missing from his seat.
The father was also shocked and claimed he thought the child was in the back seat while he picked up orders.
After realizing the child was missing, they traced their steps back to every delivery spot. That’s when they saw a heavy law enforcement presence near the I-4 ramp and made the 911 call.
The father, 35-year-old Jeremy Rouse, decided to come clean to officers and admitted he knew the child was missing from the back seat. However, he continued making deliveries because he didn’t want his Uber Eats rating to drop.
As a result, Rouse was arrested and charged with cruelty toward a child without great bodily harm and perjury for making a false affidavit in official proceedings, according to the Altamonte Springs Police Department.