US Parents Charged With Child Neglect For Leaving Six-Month-Old Daughter Unattended At Beach

A couple in the United States was arrested for leaving their six-month-old daughter alone on Miramar Beach in Florida for nearly an hour, and went for a walk, the New York Post reported. The incident occurred on October 10, while the couple was on vacation with their three other children.

Thirty-seven-year-old Sara Sommers Wilks, who is a healthcare boss, and her husband, Brian Wilks (40), have been charged with child neglect.

According to reports, witnesses saw the couple walking away from the beach with their older children, leaving the infant unattended under a tent.

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A good Samaritan intervened, ensuring the baby's safety until authorities arrived. The police were unable to reach them as they had left their phones in the tent. The baby was found to be safe, with normal vital signs and no distress.

In a post on Facebook, the Walton County Sheriff's Office revealed that the couple told police that they'd "lost track of time" while on a walk with their three older children. Surveillance footage showed they were away from the child for nearly an hour without their cell phones.

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"It's right there at that hour time frame, 50 minutes to an hour, way longer than what would be reasonable," Major Dustin Cosson with the Walton County Sheriff's Office told ABC 13.

Both Sara and Brian Wilks were arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony under Florida law. They posted a $1,000 bond the following day and were released.

"We're thankful for the quick-thinking beachgoer who raised the alarm and for those who stepped in to care for the child with the same kindness and concern they would show their own," Sheriff Michael Adkinson said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families took temporary custody of all the children until relatives arrived from Texas.

Sara Wilks serves as the regional president of US Heart and Vascular, a company providing support services for independent cardiovascular practices.