Two Texas Parents Were Arrested for Child Neglect After Leaving Their Infant Alone on a Florida Beach, and One of Them Runs a Cardiology Company
Security footage showed the baby was alone for roughly 56 minutes while both parents walked the beach with their three other children, leaving without their phone.
Sara Sommers Wilks, 37, is a regional president at U.S. Heart and Vascular in Houston, a company that supports cardiology practices across Texas, Alabama, and Arizona. In April, she was named to Cardiovascular Business magazine’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2025, recognized for her work streamlining patient experience and efficiency in cardiovascular care.
She and her husband Brian, 40, told deputies they placed their 6-month-old daughter under a tent at Miramar Beach for her usual midday nap on Friday, October 10, then walked off with their three older kids and “lost track of time.” Miramar Beach sits in Walton County on the Florida Panhandle, a popular vacation stretch near Destin and Sandestin.
Deputies responded to 4000 Sandestin Boulevard around noon after a startled beachgoer spotted the infant alone. Good Samaritans were already caring for the child by the time deputies arrived. When the parents walked back up, they admitted to leaving the baby under the tent before heading off with their other children. South Walton Fire District evaluated the infant on scene and confirmed normal vitals, no distress, and no injuries.
Both parents were charged with child neglect without great bodily harm and released the next day on a $1,000 bond. The Florida Department of Children and Families held custody of the kids until relatives drove in from Texas.
In May 2026, Sara and Brian each entered into deferred prosecution agreements. Over the next 12 months (with possible early termination at 6) they each have to pay $1,000 in fines and court costs, complete 25 hours of community service, attend a parenting class, stay out of legal trouble, and stay out of Walton County. If they meet every condition, prosecutors will drop the charges entirely. Florida requires proof of “culpable negligence” for the felony charge, and with no injury to the child and no prior record, diversion is a standard outcome for first-time cases like this one.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said the arrest is a reminder that “even brief moments of inattention can have serious consequences and can sometimes lead to tragic outcomes.”
“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.
Stay in the loop with Thought Catalog — follow us on Facebook or visit our website.
