Former principal gets maximum sentence after hot car death of granddaughter
A Central Florida grandmother has been sentenced to five years in prison, nearly two-and-a-half years after her infant granddaughter tragically died in a hot car while in her care. Tracey Nix, a former school principal, was found guilty of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, causing great bodily harm after she left 7-month-old Uriel Schock in an SUV on Nov. 1, 2022. Despite being found not guilty of aggravated manslaughter, which carries a heavier sentence, the jury still held her accountable for the devastating consequences of her actions.
According to an arrest affidavit, Nix had returned home from taking the infant to lunch with friends and went inside her house around 2 p.m. She became distracted, talking to her dog and practicing playing the piano for an extended period of time before realizing that her granddaughter was still in the car. By the time she remembered, it was too late. Temperatures in Hardee County had reached around 90 degrees that day, leading to the tragic death of baby Uriel.
Nix’s husband desperately tried to perform CPR, but the little girl succumbed to hyperthermia. This heartbreaking incident came less than a year after Nix’s other grandchild, 16-month-old Ezra Schock, drowned while in her care. The toddler had managed to wander into a nearby pond while his grandmother was asleep, adding another layer of grief and tragedy to the family’s already devastating loss.
During the emotional court hearing, Uriel’s parents, Kaila Nix-Schock and Drew Schock, expressed their ongoing pain and trauma at the loss of both their children. Kaila addressed her mother directly, expressing a mix of love and heartbreak, while Drew emphasized the extra precautions they had taken to protect Uriel after Ezra’s tragic death. Both parents spoke of the lasting impact of losing their children and the difficulty of having to confront Nix’s role in their deaths.
Nix, who had declined to testify in her own defense, expressed deep remorse during sentencing, claiming that she had forgotten the infant was in the car. Despite seeking mental health treatment following her arrest, the judge handed down the maximum sentence, citing Nix’s lack of remorse and the gravity of the situation. Nix’s husband, Nun Ney Nix, described how his wife had mourned in silence and isolated herself from the outside world since the tragic incidents.
The case highlights the importance of child safety and the devastating consequences of leaving children unattended in hot cars. According to data from Kids and Car Safety, there were 40 recorded hot car deaths in the U.S. last year alone, underscoring the need for increased awareness and preventive measures. As the community grapples with these heartbreaking losses, the hope is that greater vigilance and education will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
