WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Polk County couple is facing charges of child abuse, with more charges likely to be brought down, after a 6-year-old boy died in a bathtub.
According to a booking log, Tre Seymore, 27; and Alize Seymore, 25; are charged with multiple counts of child abuse and tampering with a witness.
According to the affidavits connected to the case, Polk County first responders were called to the Seymore family home in Winter Haven on Saturday, April 22, in reference to the reported drowning of a 6-year-old child.
Andre Rouse said the child was the son he shared with Alize, Anthony Rouse. Andre Rouse said he had concerns about Anthony Rouse being around his mother and new husband and had been fighting for sole custody of Anthony Rouse in the months leading up to his death.
Describing the moment he learned his son was in the hospital, Rouse said, "My body shook. I dropped to my knees and started sobbing. I knew it wasn't going to end well."
Andre Rouse was 18 years old when Anthony Rouse was born and said his son was in state care for the first two years of his life because Alize had an open Department of Children and Families case against her.
"We ended up separating a year after he was born and then I got [sole] custody when he turned two up until he was five," Andre Rouse explained.
With sole custody, Rouse said his son was his shadow.
"It was always 'Daddy, you're my superhero. I want to be like you when I grow up,'" Andre Rouse said.
But when Anthony Rouse turned 5, Andre Rouse said a domestic violence conviction involving an ex-girlfriend put him briefly in jail and put Anthony Rouse's mother and her new husband back in the picture.
"They felt the need to take him from someone he knew his whole life and just throw him directly to someone he'd only seen, you know, a handful of times," Andre Rouse said. "That really messed with him mentally. I could hear it in his voice, you know, he'll call me and say, 'Daddy, I want to come back with you.'"
Andre Rouse said he had no idea how bad the situation really was.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office investigation into Anthony Rouse's drowning revealed a sickening pattern of child abuse.
The affidavits mention physical punishments, "torture", the withholding of food and trapping Anthony in a dog cage in the garage for hours.
"The lock to the bedroom where the children and victim slept was observed to be placed backwards," reads the affidavit. "The lock was purposely installed incorrectly to allow for the children to be locked within the bedroom. The bedroom did not have electricity and was filled with clothing items which were soiled with urine and feces."
According to the affidavit, a 10-year-old sibling told police they'd be rewarded with candy for "beating up" Anthony Rouse. In the same interview, the sibling said on April 22 they saw Tre hold Anthony Rouse's head underwater in the bathtub.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office tells us the investigation is now in the hands of the State Attorney's Office, where they expect more charges will be filed in the coming days.
Andre Rouse said he is still in shock over the details of the situation.
"I still can't wrap my head around it and it still really hurts," he said.
Andre Rouse is now channeling that grief into a message, to help kids who may be suffering, as his son was.
"If you see something, say something," Andre Rouse said. "Say something before it's too late."
DCF would not comment specifically on this case, citing a confidentiality clause.