A Texas healthcare executive and her husband have been arrested for leaving their six-month-old baby unattended on a beach for over an hour. Sara Sommers Wilks and Brian Wilks went for a walk with their three older children on October 10, while their six-month-old daughter slept under a tent on a Florida beach.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, beachgoers found a baby alone beneath a tent at Miramar Beach. The cops received reports of the unattended baby around noon on October 10.
The excuse
Sara and Brian Wilks have faced backlash for the excuse they gave for leaving the child unattended.
The couple claimed that the baby usually napped during that time, so they thought it was okay to leave her alone. Eventually, they lost track of time while walking on the beach with their three older children.
“Mr. Wilks stated that the infant usually naps during this time and was asleep when they left the infant in the tent unattended,” an arrest report from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office obtained by The New York Post read.
“The defendant stated that they lost track of time and did not realize how long they had been gone,” the report added.
{{/usCountry}}“The defendant stated that they lost track of time and did not realize how long they had been gone,” the report added.
{{/usCountry}}The police report also revealed that the parents left the napping baby around 11 am and did not return until 12.06 pm. Brian, 40, and Sara, 37, were arrested after they returned to the spot.
Who is Sara Wilks?
Sara Sommers Wilks, 37, was recognized earlier this year by Cardiovascular Business on its “Forty Under 40” list, which described her as “an exceptional leader” in the medical field.
Security footage confirmed that she and her husband left their baby behind, along with their cell phones, for over an hour.
Both parents were charged with neglect without great bodily harm. They spent the night in jail before posting $1,000 bail.
(Also read: Who is Sara Wilks? Texas mom who was named to ‘40 Under 40’ list charged after leaving baby alone on Florida beach)