New details have emerged about a young boy from Florida who drowned in a bathtub.

Anthony Rouse, 6, died on April 22. Subsequent investigations into his death uncovered disturbing details of mistreatment. The boy’s stepfather was accused of holding his head underwater before the incident. His mother and stepfather, identified as Alize Seymore and Tre Seymore, have now been charged with multiple counts of child abuse and tampering with a witness.

Before the drowning, the child suffered severe abuse, including being locked up in a dog cage and other evidence of torture. 

Reports indicate that Anthony’s father, Andre Rouse, had been fighting for custody of his son, and he continues to struggle with the loss. Shockingly, a 10-year-old boy residing in the same Polk County home confessed to authorities that he and his siblings were rewarded for physically assaulting Anthony. 

The young witness recounted witnessing Tre submerge Anthony’s head in the bathtub, leading to the eventual involvement of the police.

The abuse extended beyond physical violence, as the affidavits revealed instances of confinement, including locking the children in a bedroom with a lock improperly installed backwards to keep the children in. This room was found to be filled with clothing stained with urine and feces, lacking electricity. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has handed over the investigation to the State Attorney’s Office, expecting additional charges to be filed against the accused couple.

Andre Rouse shared his anguish, mentioning his ongoing custody battle with Alize, Anthony’s mother. Alize had previously faced a Department of Children and Families case, resulting in Anthony spending his early years in state care. While Andre had sole custody from ages two to five, Anthony was later placed with Alize due to Andre’s jail time for a domestic violence conviction related to a previous relationship. Andre emphasized how this sudden change negatively impacted Anthony, who expressed a desire to return to his father during phone calls.

Heartbroken by the news of his son’s hospitalization and subsequent passing, Andre implored others to report any suspicions or knowledge of child abuse to prevent similar tragedies. He urged people to speak up before it’s too late.