Texas Couple Arrested for Abandoning Baby on Florida Beach
A prominent figure in Texas’s medical field, recently honored on the national “40 Under 40” list, has been arrested alongside her husband after allegedly leaving their six-month-old baby unattended on a Florida beach, according to authorities.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies were called to Miramar Beach around noon on October 10 when other beachgoers discovered the baby alone under a tent in the vicinity of Sandestin Boulevard.
Witnesses indicated that the parents had walked away with three other children, leaving the baby unattended for close to an hour. They also alerted the local police.
Upon arrival, emergency responders checked on the baby and confirmed she was not in distress. Shortly afterward, Sarah Somers Wilkes, 37, and her husband Brian Wilkes, 40, both from Houston, returned to the area.
The couple acknowledged that they had placed the child under the tent for a nap but admitted they lost track of time. In fact, security footage showed them away for almost an hour while leaving their phones with the baby.
Consequently, they were arrested and charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, categorized as a third-degree felony according to Florida law. Both were booked into the Walton County Jail and later released on a $1,000 bond each.
The Florida Department of Children and Families temporarily took custody of their four children until family members arrived from Texas to collect them.
Somers-Wilkes serves as the regional president for US Heart and Vascular, a healthcare organization involved in cardiovascular practices across Texas, Alabama, and Arizona. Earlier this year, she was featured in a cardiovascular business magazine’s “40 Under 40” list for her leadership in cardiology management.
In a statement, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office expressed its dedication to child safety and thanked the individuals who stepped in to help at the beach. Sheriff Michael Adkinson also commended the beachgoers for their prompt actions that ensured the child’s well-being.
