BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida grandmother was acquitted of manslaughter in the death of her 7-month-old granddaughter but was found guilty on a lesser charge.
Tracey Nix, from Polk County, was convicted by a jury of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle for more than 15 minutes, resulting in great bodily harm. However, the jury determined she was not guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
“It does sting,” said Drew Schock, the victim’s father. “I’m thankful though that we did get something.”
“I was relieved to hear there was going to be accountability and ownership,” said Kaila Nix, Tracey’s daughter. “I’m glad this part of the story has a conclusion.”
The case stems from a tragic incident in November 2022, when Kaila Nix left her baby daughter, Uriel Schock, in the care of her mother. Uriel died after being left alone in a car for several hours. A medical examiner testified that the cause of death was hyperthermia.
This was not the first family tragedy. Kaila Nix and Drew Schock’s son, Ezra, had previously died in an accident under similar circumstances. Ezra, just 16 months old, drowned in a pond after wandering away while his mother was asleep. Due to a judge’s ruling, jurors did not hear details about Ezra’s death during the trial.
“The destruction that has come from this process is unfathomable,” Kaila Nix said after the verdict. “My kids are dead, but I’ve lost a lot more than that.”
In seeking a conviction for aggravated manslaughter, the prosecution argued that Nix’s negligence was criminal. However, her defense attorney, Bill Fletcher, insisted that the death was accidental.
“Please don’t make this terrible situation worse by convicting Tracey Nix of something she’s not guilty of,” Fletcher said in his closing argument.
After the verdict, Fletcher described the acquittal on the manslaughter charge as a “win” and thanked the jury for their decision. He also stated that they would appeal the conviction.
Fletcher pointed out that the judge had prevented the jury from considering the issue of intent when deciding on the charge for which Nix was convicted.
Nix will be sentenced in April and faces up to five years in prison.
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