The breezy young mother, Kaliope Harris, leaves her adorable daughter Anna with her parents for a weekend at the shore. Kaliope has decided that she has better things to do, like spending time with Ray, her new boyfriend. The doting Mrs. Harris takes her grandchild to the beach, and on this sunny day, she turns her eyes away from Anna for no more than a moment and the child is gone. Mrs. Harris talks about Anna as if she might materialize at any moment while Mr. Harris, a pillar of the community, relentlessly hectors the police and coast guard to find her. Meanwhile, Kaliope and Ray try to trace Anna’s movements that day, eventually leading them to the lifeguard who was on duty.