A prominent healthcare executive and her husband are facing criminal charges after authorities say they left their six-month-old daughter unattended on a Florida beach for nearly an hour while they took a walk with their other children.
Sara Wilks, 37, and Brian Wilks, 40, were arrested on Oct. 10 following an incident at Miramar Beach in Florida’s Walton County.
Police responded after receiving reports of an infant left alone on the beach.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the baby was being cared for by Good Samaritans near the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.
The couple, who reside in a $970,000 home in Houston, Texas, returned to the location while authorities were on scene.
Both parents admitted to police that they had placed their infant daughter under a tent to nap before leaving with their three other children.
According to authorities, the couple acknowledged they went for a walk and “lost track of time.”
Surveillance footage from the area revealed that neither Sara nor Brian took their phones with them during the time they were away from their infant daughter.
Medical personnel who responded to the scene determined the baby’s vital signs were normal and she was not in distress.
The Florida Department of Children and Families was immediately called to the scene following the incident.
The couple’s other children were temporarily placed in state custody until family members could travel from Texas to collect them.
Both Sara and Brian Wilks were charged with child neglect without great bodily harm.
Court records obtained by the Daily Mail show the couple posted a $1,000 bond the following day.
Major Dustin Cosson with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office characterized the duration of the child’s abandonment as excessive.
He stated the amount of time the parents left their child was “way longer than what would be reasonable.”
Cosson acknowledged that parents follow napping schedules for infants but emphasized this does not justify leaving them unattended.
“That’s all fine and dandy, but you don’t just leave a baby at a house and then leave and go off to the store,” Cosson told ABC13.
The major outlined potential dangers the infant faced while alone on the beach.
“The baby could roll over and suffocate itself, or the wind could blow a towel over its face. There’s no telling what could have happened,” he said.
Cosson stressed that despite Florida beaches being considered family-friendly environments, parents must maintain vigilance and exercise common sense.
He emphasized that crossing state lines does not eliminate parental responsibilities.
“Yes, it’s a bubble, but that doesn’t mean as you cross over the county line or over the state line into Florida that we can just leave your common sense behind,” he said.
“It still means you have to do the best for your children.”
While deputies do not believe the Wilks acted with malicious intent, Cosson indicated their decision to leave the baby alone warrants criminal prosecution.
Sara Wilks holds a prominent position in the healthcare industry as a regional president for US Heart and Vascular.
She was recognized as part of Cardiovascular Business’s “Forty Under 40 Class of 2025” in April.
Sara, who appears to use her maiden name Sommers in professional settings, holds an MBA.
According to Cardiovascular Business, she has “created a more cost-effective and streamlined experience for patients” at US Heart and Vascular.
The company provides support services for independent cardiovascular physician practices nationwide.
Sara has been described by industry publications as someone who “not only improved the quality of care” for patients but ensured timely service delivery.
