St. Cloud, Florida — A 2-year-old child was found wandering alone in the middle of a road late at night, prompting a 911 call and an investigation that ended with the child’s parents facing child neglect charges, according to police and court records.
The toddler was spotted around 11:30 p.m. Saturday on Jones Road near Talisi Loop, an area of St. Cloud in Osceola County. A motorist who noticed the young child walking alone stopped and brought the toddler to safety before contacting authorities.
The child was not physically injured but was scared and crying, deputies said.
Driver Finds Toddler Alone in the Road
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, the motorist was driving through the area when they noticed the 2-year-old in the roadway. Concerned for the child’s safety, the driver stopped and removed the toddler from the road before calling 911.
Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded and began searching the surrounding neighborhood for the child’s home.
Their search eventually led them to a residence where they found an important clue: the front door was wide open and no one was inside.
Deputies reportedly found toys in the home along with a photograph of the child. Those items helped confirm that they had located the toddler’s residence.
Deputies Struggle to Reach the Parents
The affidavit says a deputy attempted to contact Johnny JeanBaptiste, 36, by phone.
JeanBaptiste allegedly answered the first call but hung up on the deputy. When the deputy tried calling again several times, JeanBaptiste allegedly blocked the number.
Authorities eventually managed to speak with him. According to the affidavit, JeanBaptiste told the deputy that he and the child’s mother, Stacia McMillian, were at a store and said they would return home within five minutes.
The parents did not arrive immediately.
Parents Return About an Hour Later
JeanBaptiste and McMillian, 32, eventually arrived at the residence in a Toyota Corolla around 12:30 a.m., roughly an hour after the motorist initially found the toddler alone.
Deputies questioned the couple about where they had been while their young child was apparently alone at home.
According to police, both parents declined to provide details about their whereabouts beyond saying they had gotten into a fight and gone to a store.
The affidavit also states that deputies noticed an odor of alcohol coming from both JeanBaptiste and McMillian.
McMillian allegedly laughed while deputies questioned her, according to the affidavit.
Parents Face Child Neglect Charges
JeanBaptiste and McMillian were arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, according to court records.
The couple was taken to the Osceola County Jail, where they remained without bond, according to the information provided by authorities. The child was not left in the custody of the parents following the incident.
A family member picked up the toddler, while the Florida Department of Children and Families opened its own investigation into what happened.
Investigation Into Child’s Safety Continues
The case remains under investigation as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance from the home.
The fact that the toddler was able to leave the residence and reach a nearby roadway late at night has raised serious questions about how the child was supervised and how long the parents were away.
For the motorist who encountered the child, the decision to stop and call authorities ensured the toddler was removed from the roadway before a potentially more serious incident occurred.
The investigation by the Department of Children and Families could provide additional information about the child’s living situation and what happened before and after the toddler was found.
What do you think about this disturbing incident in St. Cloud? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know what questions you think investigators should answer as the case continues.
