A toddler wearing only a tank top and diaper was discovered wandering alone in the middle of an Osceola County road late Saturday night, leading to the arrest of both parents on child neglect charges after deputies found their home empty with the door wide open.

Woman Rescues Frightened Child From Road

Deputies responded to a 911 call at 11:39 p.m. Saturday night after a woman spotted the young boy in the roadway. The witness immediately stopped her vehicle, pulled the crying and frightened toddler to safety, and contacted authorities. The child was inadequately dressed for the late-night conditions, wearing minimal clothing that offered no protection from the elements or traffic dangers he faced alone in the street.

According to Captain Kim Montes of the Osceola Sheriff’s Office, deputies conducted a systematic search of nearby residences to locate the child’s home. They discovered a house on Talisi Loop with its front door standing open and no adults present inside. The home appeared to belong to the toddler’s family, but neither parent was there to care for the child or explain how he had escaped into the night.

Parents Uncooperative After Late-Night Return

Deputies attempted to contact the residents listed at the address and reached the child’s father, 36-year-old Johnny JeanBaptiste. Instead of cooperating with law enforcement about his missing toddler, JeanBaptiste immediately hung up on deputies. Just after 12:30 a.m., both JeanBaptiste and the child’s mother, 32-year-old Stacia McMillian, returned to their residence. Deputies reported that both parents remained uncooperative when questioned about the circumstances that led to their young son wandering alone in traffic.

Both parents now face charges of child neglect without great bodily harm. They remain in custody at the Osceola County Jail. The Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident, and a family member has taken temporary custody of the toddler while the investigation continues.

Critical Questions Remain Unanswered

Authorities have not yet disclosed why the child was left completely alone in the home or where the parents were during the time their toddler wandered into the roadway. The investigation continues as officials work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the child’s abandonment. The case highlights the serious consequences parents face when children are left without adequate supervision, particularly given the life-threatening danger the toddler faced from traffic while wandering alone at night in minimal clothing.