A Florida grandmother’s actions have led to two heartbreaking tragedies, forever altering the lives of her family.
In a devastating turn of events, Tracey Nix has been sentenced following the death of her 7-month-old granddaughter who tragically died after being left in a hot car for hours on a sweltering 90-degree day in November 2022.
This sentence comes after the unspeakable loss of her 16-month-old grandson, who also perished while in her care.
Intense heat outside
Emotions ran high in a Florida courtroom earlier this month as Tracey Nix, 67, a retired school principal from Hardee County, faced the consequences of a devastating decision that led to the death of her 7-month-old granddaughter, Uriel Schock.
On Thursday, April 3, Nix learned her fate in a Wauchula, Florida court. Back in January, a Polk County jury found her guilty of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, but acquitted her of aggravated manslaughter — a charge that could have landed her up to 30 years in prison.
The tragic incident occurred in November 2022. That day, Kaila Nix-Schock, Uriel’s mother, had gone to get her hair done and had asked her mother to watch the baby.
Tracey Nix went out for lunch with friends, and authorities say she left Uriel alone in an SUV on a 90-degree day in Wauchula, Florida. With the windows rolled up and the sweltering heat outside, the infant tragically lost her life.
During the investigation, Tracey Nix explained to authorities that she simply “forgot” about her granddaughter after returning home from lunch with friends. According to the affidavit, it wasn’t until a relative showed up at the house that Nix realized Uriel had been left in the car for hours that afternoon.
Tracey Nix’s husband discovered the infant in the backseat of the SUV and tried to perform CPR, but tragically, Uriel could not be revived, as reported by WFTS.
Investigators later determined that Uriel’s cause of death was hyperthermia.
While Nix chose not to testify during the trial, she did speak out during her sentencing.
“I literally forgot for a long period of time. I’m broken about what happened. I don’t want to leave anyone with the thought that I’m making excuses, because I’m not,” she said.
After identifying their daughter at the hospital, the parents recalled standing in the parking lot, struggling to comprehend what had happened.
“To think of the last moments of her life as a mother is gut-wrenching,” Kaila said.
”And that it actually just f—ing happened twice. In our lifetime,” Uriel’s father, Drew said.
It had happened before
Because the family of Uriel Schock has endured unimaginable heartbreak, with tragedy striking not once, but twice.
In December 2021, 16-month-old Ezra Schock tragically drowned in a pond near the Nix home. Ezra had reportedly managed to open doors, slip under a fence, and wander off while Nix was asleep. Though no criminal charges were filed in that incident, with the State Attorney’s Office citing ”insufficient evidence to establish culpable negligence,” the pain of that loss lingered.
At Nix’s sentencing, Uriel’s mother spoke through tears, addressing her mother directly:
“I still love you. I hate this. I hate that I have to choose, but you know I had to. But it doesn’t change my heart.”
Kaila continued, her grief pouring out:
”It isn’t about my feeling, it is about what I know. And what I know, is that my son drowned on a very cold day in their pond, and he died alone. And I know that my daughter died on a scorching hot afternoon, alone.”
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Uriel’s father, Drew Schock, also delivered a heart-wrenching statement, describing the pain and guilt he and Kaila carried:
“There are some things you don’t think about, and as parents we have to live with that for the rest of our lives. She’s done this twice and the fact that we’re debating whether she deserves jail time is just insane to me.”
Family speaks out
Despite Nix’s claims of devastation and efforts to seek mental health treatment after the incident, the judge remained firm in his decision. In delivering the maximum sentence of five years, Judge Brandon Rafool emphasized the gravity of the repeated tragedies, stating:
“Uriel is not an isolated incident. I do not believe she is showing remorse; I believe she is showing sorrow.”
The grandmother was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. However, she was acquitted of the more serious charge of aggravated manslaughter.
Following the sentencing, Drew Schock, Uriel’s father, spoke to Fox 13, expressing his deep sorrow over the loss of his children and the impact the tragedy will have on their family:
”We’re going to spend the rest of our lives… My son is going to grow up his whole life without his brother and without his sister. Um, you know, 5 years to me… Is it justice? No, not really.”
Nix’s husband, Nun Ney Nix, came to her defense, saying she had been quietly grieving and kept to herself, avoiding going out. However, the court took into account the two back-to-back losses that occurred under her watch when making its decision.
Tracey Nix, who served as an educator in Hardee County schools for nearly 40 years, was once highly regarded for her work in education. But the tragic events have overshadowed her long career.
This case has also brought renewed attention to the dangers of leaving children in hot cars, especially in hot climates.
40 children died in hot car incidents last year
According to Kids and Car Safety, between 1990 and 2024, at least 1,125 children have tragically died in hot cars in the United States, with an additional 7,500 children surviving, but suffering from varying degrees of injury. And 40 children tragically died in hot car incidents in the United States last year alone.
The organization’s records reveal that in 56% of these deaths, the child was left in the vehicle by accident, with most victims being three years old or younger. These deaths are often caused by heatstroke or hyperthermia, which occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool down.
”The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that a hot car tragedy will never happen to them,” Kids and Car Safety posted on its website.
”In over half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child unknowingly left them in the vehicle. In most situations, this happens to loving, caring, and protective parents. It has happened to a teacher, dentist, social worker, police officer, nurse, clergyman, soldier, and even a rocket scientist. It can happen to anyone.”
Dr. David Diamond, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida, spoke with NBC San Diego, explaining how easily a child can be forgotten in the backseat:
”We have a powerful brain-autopilot memory system that gets us to do things automatically, and in that process, we lose awareness of other things in our mind, including that there’s a child in the car.”
To help prevent such tragedies, Kids and Car Safety advocates for parents to always lock their vehicles so children cannot accidentally lock themselves inside.
Another important habit is to check the backseat every time you exit the car. Experts recommend leaving a key item, like a wallet or set of keys, on the backseat so that you’re forced to double-check the area whenever you get out of the vehicle.
