Award-winning executive and husband give pathetic excuse for leaving their baby alone on beach as they're ordered to pay measly fine

By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:19, 23 June 2026 | Updated: 15:29, 23 June 2026 A top healthcare executive and her husband gave a pathetic excuse for leaving their baby alone on a Florida beach, police records have revealed. Brian, 40, and Sara Wilks, 37, told police they 'lost track of time' when they were arrested for leaving their then-six-month-old daughter unattended at Miramar Beach on October 10 last year. The couple, from Texas, said they put the baby under a tent for a nap and then went on a walk with their three other kids, according to court papers seen by the Daily Mail. Authorities descended on the beach near the Hilton Sandestin resort after Good Samaritans found the abandoned child. The Wilks, who confessed to leaving their child alone, were charged with child neglect without great bodily harm. But the couple have now been avoided jail after entering into a deferred prosecution agreement last month. They have each been ordered to pay a measly $1,000 in fines, work 25 hours of community service and attend a parenting class, court records revealed. The conditions of the deferral must be met within a 12 month period. The couple have also been barred from Walton County, Florida and need to remain out of trouble, otherwise their case will be reopened. While the punishment appears lenient, a Florida-based criminal defense attorney has claimed it is 'routine' practice for first-time neglect cases to result in a deferred prosecution agreement when the child was found uninjured. Sara and Brian Wilks were arrested last October after police responded to reports of a baby being left unattended on Miramar Beach Officers arrived at the beach near the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa on October 10 last year, they found the couple's six-month-old baby cared for by Good Samaritans, seen here holding the child Rory Safir, founder of Safir Law, told the New York Post that the couple, who live in a $970,000 home in Houston, do not appear to have received 'special treatment.' 'It looks lenient because the facts are upsetting, but legally it is a routine outcome,' he told the newspaper. Safir said prosecutors often offer diversion in first-time, no-injury neglect cases because they would otherwise have to prove culpable negligence. Under Florida law, culpable negligence is conduct that shows a reckless disregard for human life. In order to for an action to be deemed culpable negligence, prosecutors must prove that the offender knew their actions created an unreasonably high risk of harm and proceeded anyway. 'A baby left alone on a beach sounds like an easy conviction, but proving the parents walked away is the easy part,' Safir explained. 'No injury combined with no prior record is what put diversion on the table at all.'  The Daily Mail has contacted the couple's attorney for comment on the agreement with prosecutors. Sara was named as part of Cardiovascular Business's 'Forty Under 40 Class of 2025' in April of last year Sara and Brian Wilks were arrested last year after police responded to reports of a baby being left unattended near the Hilton Sandestin resort. When officers arrived on the beach on October 10, they found the baby girl being cared for by Good Samaritans. The baby's vitals were normal and she was not in distress, police said.  Sara, a regional president for US Heart and Vascular, and Brian did not take their phones with them while they were away, surveillance footage showed.  As authorities waited for paramedics to arrive, the couple made their way back to the spot and confessed to leaving their child there. The pair told police how they placed the six-month-old baby under a tent for a nap, left with three other kids, went on a walk and 'lost track of time,' authorities said.  The Florida Department of Children and Families responded to the scene and their other children were placed in state custody until relatives from Texas could arrive.  Major Dustin Cosson with the Walton County Sheriff's Office, at the time of the arrest, described the couple's explanation as 'concerning.' He acknowledged that maintaining a nap schedule is important for infants, but said that did not justify the couple's actions.  After initially both being charged with child neglect without great bodily harm, the coupe have now been avoided jail after entering into a deferred prosecution agreement last month They have each been ordered to pay $1,000 in fines, work 25 hours of community service and attend a parenting class, court records revealed. They are barred from Walton County, Florida and need to remain out of trouble otherwise they will be taken back to court and have their case reopened 'That's all fine and dandy, but you don't just leave a baby at a house and then leave and go off to the store,' Cosson previously told KTRK. '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.' Cosson added that the couple left the baby alone for an amount of time that was 'way longer than what would be reasonable.' Sara was recognized as part of Cardiovascular Business's 'Forty Under 40 Class of 2025' in April last year. The healthcare executive, who appears to go by her maiden name Sommers professionally, holds an MBA and has 'created a more cost-effective and streamlined experience for patients' at US Heart and Vascular (USHV), according to Cardiovascular Business. The company is a national provider of support services for independent cardiovascular physician practices. Sara's been described as someone who 'not only improved the quality of care' for patients, but made sure to do so in a timely manner, according to the outlet. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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