Bystanders protect two toddlers on Kasilof Beach while father lay unconscious in tent

Two toddlers were left unattended on Kasilof Beach on the Fourth of July while their father lay unconscious in a nearby tent, prompting bystanders to step in and alert authorities.

Good Samaritans found one of the children walking alone near the south entrance of the beach around 10 p.m. and called Alaska State Troopers. When troopers arrived, they found the toddler in the care of several bystanders, then located the father, Zachery Active, 33, of Anchorage, passed out inside a tent. A portable breath test returned a result of 0.26 BrAC, more than three times the legal driving limit. A second young child belonging to Active was also found unattended on the beach.

Active was arrested on two counts of reckless endangerment and remanded to Wildwood Pretrial Facility. The charges are accusations; Active is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Alaska State Troopers publicly acknowledged the bystanders in their dispatch, saying the agency "extends its gratitude to the individuals who intervened to ensure the safety and well-being of the children during this incident."