Two devastating tragedies have resulted from the actions of a Florida grandmother, permanently changing her family’s lives. In a tragic twist of events
In a tragic turn of events, Tracey Nix was convicted when her 7-month-old granddaughter died after being left in a hot car for hours on a sweltering day in November 2022 that reached 90 degrees.
This punishment follows the unimaginable death of her 16-month-old grandson, who tragically died while under her care.
It was really hot outside. Earlier this month, Tracey Nix, 67, a retired Hardee County school administrator, was dealing with the fallout from a terrible decision that killed her 7-month-old granddaughter, Uriel Schock.
Nix was informed of her fate in a courtroom in Wauchula, Florida, on Thursday, April 3. She was found guilty by a Polk County jury back in January of leaving a toddler alone in a car, but she was exonerated of aggravated manslaughter, a penalty that could have resulted in up to 30 years in jail.
Sadly, the incident happened in November 2022. When Uriel’s mother, Kaila Nix-Schock, went to get her hair done that day, she requested her mother to monitor the infant.
On a 90-degree day in Wauchula, Florida, authorities claim that Tracey Nix left Uriel alone in an SUV as she went out to lunch with friends. Tragically, the baby died while the windows were pulled up and it was extremely hot outside.
She just “forgot” about her granddaughter after coming home from lunch with friends, Tracey Nix told investigators during the probe. According to the affidavit, Nix didn’t realize Uriel had been left in the car for hours that day until a relative arrived at the house.
Sadly, Uriel could not be resuscitate, according to WFTS, when Tracey Nix’s husband found the baby in the SUV’s backseat and attempted CPR.
Uriel’s cause of death was eventually identified by investigators as hyperthermia.
Even though Nix declined to testify at the trial, she did speak up when she was sentenced.
“For a long time, I literally forgot. What occurred has broken me. “I want to avoid giving the impression that I’m making excuses because I’m not,” she stated.
At the hospital, the parents remembered standing in the parking lot, trying to understand what had happened after identifying their daughter.
Kaila described the final moments of her life as a mother as “gut-wrenching.”
And that, in fact, it just f—ing occurred twice. “During our time together,” Drew stated to Uriel’s father.
This had already occurred.
Since tragedy struck Uriel Schock’s family twice, they have experienced unfathomable pain.
Sadly, 16-month-old Ezra Schock drowned in a pond close to the Nix residence in December 2021. It was said that while Nix was sleeping, Ezra had slipped under a fence, opened doors, and wandered off. The State Attorney’s Office stated that there was “insufficient evidence to establish culpable negligence,” so no criminal charges were brought un that case, but the pain of that loss persisted.
Uriel’s mother addressed her mother personally during Nix’s sentencing, speaking through tears:
“You are still loved by me. This is awful. I hate having to make a decision, but you know I had to. But my heart remains unchanged.
Kaila went on, expressing her sorrow:
It has to do with what I know, not how I feel. According to what I know, my kid drowned in their pond on a very cold day and passed alone by himself. It is also known to me that my daughter passed away alone on a sweltering afternoon.
Drew Schock, Uriel’s father, also gave a heartbreaking speech outlining the suffering and sorrow that he and Kaila carried:
Some things are unthinkable, and as parents, we must deal with them for the rest of our lives. I think it’s crazy that we’re discussing whether she should go to jail after she’s done this twice.
Family members speak up.
Despite Nix’s attempts to seek mental health therapy following the incident and his claims of despair, the court stuck to his ruling. The severity of the recurring tragedies was highlighted by Judge Brandon Rafool, who imposed the maximum sentence of five years, saying:
“Uriel is not a unique instance. Instead of displaying regret, I think she is displaying sadness.
After being found guilty of leaving a toddler unsupervised in a car, the grandmother received a five-year prison sentence. The more serious accusation of aggravated manslaughter, however, was dropped against her.
In an interview with Fox 13 after the sentencing, Uriel’s father, Drew Schock, expressed his profound grief at the death of his children and the toll the tragedy will take on their family:
“We’re going to live our entire lives… Without a sister or brother, my son will spend his entire life without either. You know, five years to me. Is justice served? Not really, no.
Nun Ney Nix, Nix’s husband, defended her by claiming that she had been private and grieved in private, avoiding social situations. But when the court made its ruling, it considered the two consecutive losses that happened while she was in charge.
In the past, Tracey Nix, who worked in Hardee County schools for almost 40 years, was well-known for her contributions to education. Her lengthy career, however, has been overshadowed by the sad events.
Additionally, this instance has raised awareness of the risks of leaving kids in hot cars, particularly in hotter climes.
Last year, 40 youngsters perished in heated automobile accidents.
Between 1990 and 2024, at least 1,125 children in the US sadly perished in hot cars, while another 7,500 survived but suffered from various injuries, according to Kids and Car Safety. Additionally, in the United States alone, 40 children sadly lost their lives in overheated car accidents last year.
The majority of casualties were three years of age or less, and according to the organization’s records, the child was accidentally left in the car in 56% of these cases. These fatalities are frequently brought on by heatstroke or hyperthermia, which happens when the body becomes too hot to cool.
On its website, Kids and Car Safety made the statement, “Most parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that a hot car tragedy will never happen to them.”
In more than half of hot car fatalities, the child’s caregiver unintentionally left them inside the car. Parents that are protective, loving, and caring are typically the ones who experience this. Even a rocket scientist has experienced it, as have teachers, dentists, social workers, police officers, nurses, clergy, and soldiers. Anyone could experience it.
A psychology professor at the University of South Florida named Dr. David Diamond told NBC San Diego how simple it is to forget a youngster in the backseat:
We have a strong brain-autopilot memory system that makes us accomplish things automatically. As a result, we become less conscious of other mental processes, such as the presence of a youngster in the car.
Parents should always lock their cars to avoid children from unintentionally locking themselves inside, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Whenever you get out of the car, make sure to look in the backseat. To ensure you always check the backseat as you exit the car, experts advise leaving a valuable object, such as a wallet or set of keys, there.
