Florida Grandmother Faces Trial in Hot Car Death of Granddaughter

BARTOW, Fla. – Testimony continued Wednesday in the trial of Tracey Nix, a 67-year-old grandmother charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of her 7-month-old granddaughter, Uriel Schock, who died after being left in a hot car in November 2022.

Prosecutors allege that Nix forgot Uriel in the backseat of her Lexus SUV after returning home from lunch with friends on Nov. 1, 2022. Temperatures that afternoon reached the 90s, and the baby was found unresponsive hours later. Uriel died from hyperthermia, according to the medical examiner.

“We are here today not to determine if Tracey Nix was a good person, but to focus on her actions, inactions, and the results of those actions,” said Assistant State Attorney Timothy Coleman during opening statements Tuesday. Nix’s attorney, William Fletcher, countered, “She’s a former teacher, principal, and church member who just made a mistake. It was a tragedy that does not amount to a crime under Florida law.”

Uriel’s mother, Kaila Nix, testified Tuesday, describing the emotional toll of identifying her daughter’s body. “It was sheer anxiety,” she said, holding back tears. Friends of Tracey Nix also testified, describing her as a loving grandmother who had never shown signs of neglect.

Rebecca Tucker, Nix’s daughter and Uriel’s aunt, recounted arriving at her parents’ Wauchula home to find a frantic scene. “Her eyes are open, she’s not moving or breathing,” Tucker said during a 911 call played for jurors. When asked how long Uriel had been in the car, Nix responded, “A while.”

Bodycam footage from a Hardee County detective showed Nix expressing remorse. “I don’t want to face anybody. I can’t face my daughter. I cannot do that,” she told investigators. Detectives later questioned her at the sheriff’s office.

This is not the first tragedy involving a grandchild in Nix’s care. In December 2021, her 16-month-old grandson, Ezra, drowned after wandering into a pond near her home. No charges were filed in that case, and the judge ruled it inadmissible in the current trial.

Testimony is expected to continue Wednesday, with the medical examiner set to take the stand. Closing arguments could follow later in the day, though the trial is scheduled to run through Friday if needed. If convicted, Nix faces up to 30 years in prison.