A Florida mother, Alize Seymore, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the horrific death of her 6-year-old son, Anthony Rouse. The sentencing follows a plea deal where Seymore admitted to two counts of aggravated child abuse after a series of disturbing events leading to the child’s death in April 2023.
The Disturbing Abuse and Death of Anthony Rouse
Anthony Rouse was found dead on April 22, 2023, after allegedly drowning in a bathtub at his home in Eagle Lake, Florida. Authorities responded to a call about a child drowning and rushed Anthony to the hospital, where he was placed on life support for two days before being pronounced dead due to no brain activity.
Investigators later revealed the horrifying abuse Anthony suffered leading up to his death.
Alize Seymore, who had locked her son in a dark, windowless bathroom without electricity, told investigators that she had instructed Anthony to take a bath after he urinated on himself. She claimed to have found him face down in the bathtub 20 minutes later, after checking on him while taking a break from her TikTok use.
The bathroom had no electricity, and it was completely dark when Anthony was left alone to bathe.
The Abuse Leading Up to Anthony’s Death
Evidence gathered during the investigation revealed a history of abuse and neglect. Authorities found text messages exchanged between Alize and her husband, Tre Seymore, that revealed their cruel treatment of Anthony.
The couple had locked the boy in a cage as punishment, and Alize Seymore had reportedly sent videos and texts expressing hatred for her son. In one exchange, she wrote, “Bro imma end up killing this fat b—,” referring to Anthony, and sent a video of him locked in a cage.
The abuse wasn’t limited to just Alize Seymore. Anthony’s stepfather, Tre Seymore, also participated in the torture, including an instance where he allegedly “took the victim in to the bathroom to go ‘swimming’” — a term used to describe holding Anthony’s head underwater.
One of Anthony’s siblings later told investigators that they witnessed Tre drowning the boy.
Alize and Tre Seymore’s Criminal Charges
Following the investigation, Alize Seymore was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and manslaughter. She pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated child abuse, avoiding a trial and agreeing to serve 20 years in prison.
Tre Seymore, her husband, was sentenced to 30 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and agreeing to testify against Alize.
The death of young Anthony Rouse is a heartbreaking example of extreme child abuse, and the sentencing of both Alize and Tre Seymore is a small measure of justice for the suffering he endured.
Their cruel treatment of Anthony, coupled with the disturbing circumstances surrounding his death, serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children from abuse and ensuring justice is served for those who harm them.
