What was supposed to be a relaxing family getaway to a Florida beach has turned into a nightmare for a Houston couple.
Sara and Brian Wilks, who were visiting Miramar Beach with their children, are now facing serious legal trouble after allegedly leaving their six-month-old baby alone on the sand for nearly an hour.
A Shocking Discovery on the Beach
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies rushed to Miramar Beach on October 10 after receiving reports of an unattended infant.
When officers arrived near the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, they found Good Samaritans already caring for the baby—one of whom was seen cradling the child in a photo later shared by authorities.
Fortunately, paramedics confirmed that the baby’s vitals were normal and that she wasn’t in immediate distress.
But the situation quickly raised alarms about how such a young child could have been left alone for so long.
Parents Return and Admit to Leaving Their Baby
Not long after officers arrived, Sara, 37, and Brian, 40, returned to the scene.
The couple admitted they had placed their baby under a tent for a nap before leaving the area with their three older children to take a walk.
They reportedly told deputies they had “lost track of time” and didn’t bring their phones with them.
Police confirmed that surveillance footage supported their story—they were gone for close to an hour.
Major Dustin Cosson of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office later remarked that the time the couple left the infant alone was “way longer than what would be reasonable.”
Authorities Step In to Protect the Children
The Florida Department of Children and Families was immediately called in to handle the situation.
The couple’s other three children were taken into state custody until relatives could travel from Texas to collect them.
Both Sara and Brian were charged with child neglect without great bodily harm and released the next day on a $1,000 bond each.
While deputies said they didn’t believe the parents acted maliciously, they emphasized that their decision to leave the baby unattended was still unacceptable and dangerous.
Police Emphasize Common Sense and Responsibility
Speaking to ABC13, Major Cosson explained that even though Florida beaches are family-friendly, parents can’t take that as a license to let their guard down.
“You don’t just leave a baby at a house and then go off to the store,” he said.
“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 added a pointed reminder for vacationers: “Just because you cross into Florida doesn’t mean you can leave your common sense behind.
You still have to do what’s best for your children.”
A High-Profile Career Now Under Scrutiny
The case has drawn extra attention because of Sara’s prominent role in the healthcare industry.
She serves as a regional president for US Heart and Vascular (USHV), a national provider supporting independent cardiovascular physician practices.
Earlier this year, she was even named to Cardiovascular Business’s “Forty Under 40 Class of 2025”, which recognized her for creating more efficient and cost-effective systems for patients.
Professionally, she goes by her maiden name, Sara Sommers, and has been praised for her leadership and dedication to patient care.
From Accomplishment to Controversy
Now, the once-celebrated executive finds herself under intense scrutiny—not for her professional achievements, but for a lapse in parental judgment that could have ended in tragedy.
Although authorities acknowledge the Wilks may not have intended harm, they insist that leaving a baby unattended for nearly an hour in Florida’s heat is a serious lapse in judgment—one that warrants legal consequences.