Two Texas parents were arrested and face child neglect charges after authorities said they left their 6-month-old baby unattended on a Florida beach for nearly an hour while they walked away with their other children.
The incident took place on Oct. 10 in Miramar Beach, a census-designated area located just east of Destin in the Florida Panhandle.
Around noon that Friday, deputies responded to 4000 Sandestin Boulevard following reports of an unattended infant on the beach. When deputies arrived, witnesses confirmed the child had been left alone for nearly an hour beneath a tent while the parents walked down the beach with three other children, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a Facebook post detailing the arrest.
Good Samaritans immediately began caring for the child and called law enforcement, authorities said.
“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.
While deputies waited for South Walton Fire District personnel to arrive and assess the infant, the parents returned to the scene, where both admitted to placing the child under the tent for a nap before leaving with their other children, claiming they lost track of time, WCSO said.
Video showed Houston parents left baby alone for nearly an hour
Security footage obtained during the investigation confirmed the family was away for nearly an hour and did not bring their cellphone with them.
South Walton Fire personnel evaluated the infant and confirmed the child’s vitals were normal and they were not in distress. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) was notified and responded immediately to the scene.
Both parents, Brian Wilks, 40, and Sara Wilks, 37, of Houston, Texas, were arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. DCF took custody of the children pending the arrival of family members traveling from Texas. They both bonded out the following on Saturday, Oct. 11, on a $1,000 bond each.
“This incident serves as a reminder that even brief moments of inattention can have serious consequences and can sometimes lead to tragic outcomes,” the sheriff’s office said.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office
