In a startling incident on October 10th, a Texas healthcare executive, Sara Sommers Wilks, and her husband, Brian Wilks, were arrested in Florida after allegedly leaving their 6-month-old daughter unattended on Miramar Beach. The couple, who were with their three other children, reportedly left the infant sleeping under a tent on the beach for more than an hour.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, beachgoers alerted authorities after discovering the unattended baby around noon. When deputies arrived, they found the child alone. The parents, Brian (40) and Sara (37), returned to the location later and were subsequently arrested.
Their explanation for leaving the baby unattended has drawn significant criticism. The arrest report states that the couple claimed the infant typically napped during that time and they believed it was safe to leave her alone. They admitted to losing track of time while walking on the beach with their older children, not realizing how long they had been gone.
Sara Sommers Wilks, recognized earlier this year as an “exceptional leader” in the medical field by Cardiovascular Business on its “Forty Under 40” list, and her husband have been charged with neglect without great bodily harm. They were taken into custody and later released on $1,000 bail each.