Police Arrest Texas Parents After the Couple Left Their 6-Month-Old Baby Alone at a Florida Beach for Nearly an Hour

By Danielle Ong Published: Oct 16 2025, 14:06 PM EDT

A Texas couple was arrested after they were found to have left their six-month-old baby alone at a Florida beach for nearly an hour.

The parents are now being charged with child neglect, as they walked away from their youngest baby to go with their other children. The incident reportedly took place on Oct. 10 in Miramar Beach, which is a census-designated area.

Police Arrest Parents for Leaving Baby Unattended on the Beach

At around noon, deputies responded to 4000 Sandestin Boulevard after receiving reports of an unattended infant on the beach. When they arrived at the scene, witnesses confirmed that the child had been left alone for almost an hour under a tent while the parents walked down the beach with three other kids.

When Good Samaritans noticed what was happening, they quickly started to care for the six-month-old baby and called authorities. In a statement, Sheriff Michael Adkinson said they were thankful to the people who raised the alarm and those who stepped in to take care of the child, according to CBS News.

While deputies were waiting for South Walton Fire District personnel to arrive and assess the child, the parents came back to the tent. They then admitted to placing the child there to have a nap before leaving with their other kids, arguing that they lost track of time.

Officials later obtained security footage during their investigation, which confirmed that the family was away from their child for almost an hour. Additionally, they did not bring their mobile phones with them while they walked down the beach.

Major Dustin Cosson said that losing track of time was fine; the parents don't simply leave their baby at a house before going to the store. Many dangers could happen, including the child rolling over and suffocating itself, or the wind blowing a towel onto its face, ABC13 reported.

After the incident, online court records showed no listed attorney for either of the parents arrested for leaving their child alone at the beach. Authorities noted that the couple had posted a $1,000 bond on Saturday, adding that the infant was placed in state custody until relatives from Texas could arrive.

A Separate Incident

In a separate incident earlier this year, the parents of a two-year-old boy were charged with felony child endangerment with a special allegation that the endangerment caused the death of a child.

The suspects in the case were identified as 29-year-old Chelsea Whitfield and 28-year-old Anthony Solansky. The incident in question happened on Mar. 9, when their son was rushed to Oroville Hospital and later pronounced dead, as per KRCRTV.