Watch the full day 1 trial recap from Kylie McGivern
3:30 PM
A jury has been seated. Opening statements will begin tomorrow morning at 8:30.
8:30 AM
Jury selection begins.
Tracey Nix appeared in court with her husband by her side on Monday.
Tracey, a former principal in Hardee County, is well known in the small community of Wauchula, a city of less than 5,000 people. Driving around town, there are signs in yards that say, "Justice for Ezra & Uriel".
Ezra drowned in a pond at his grandmother Tracey's house three days before Christmas in 2021, less than a year before Uriel died in the hot car. Under the judge's instructions, Ezra's death will not be mentioned in this trial.
Because of the local and national attention this story has gained, as a result of the I-Team's reporting, the trial was moved to Polk County to seat an impartial jury.
What we know so far:
Jury selection began on Monday for a Hardee County woman who is accused of leaving her 7-month-old granddaughter in a hot car where the baby died. As the ABC Action News I-Team first revealed nearly two years ago, this is the second grandchild to die under Tracey Nix's care.
Toddler drowns, infant left in hot car less than a year apart at grandma’s house
According to a Hardee County complaint affidavit, Kaila Nix had gone to get her hair done that day and had asked her mom, Tracey, 65, to babysit. Temperatures in Wauchula had reached 90 degrees that day. Her mom's Lexus SUV was parked in the yard with the windows rolled up.
When one of Tracey's grandsons arrived, the complaint affidavit said that "all of a sudden," it "came across her head" that Uriel had been in the SUV all afternoon. Her husband, Nun Ney Nix, immediately began CPR.
The I-Team reconnected with Kaila days before the trial and asked if she wants her mother to spend any time in prison.
"The mother in me, as I’ve said before, requires justice for my kid. The mother in me requires justice for my daughter. But there is a five-year-old that lives in me still that doesn't want bad things for my mom. I don't want it. I don't want to watch it. I don't want to be a part of it. I don't want any more hurt," Kaila said.
Kaila is expected to be called as a witness for the prosecution.
Earlier this month, after a judge told defense attorneys their expert witnesses could not testify at trial, they asked for a continuance or to allow the defense counsel to withdraw. That motion was denied. The judge said the Court does not accept counsel's assumption that it can no longer effectively represent Tracey.
Jury selection started Jan. 13. If found guilty, Tracey's attorney said she could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Follow our live updates throughout the day for the latest developments.
A Hardee County grandmother is on trial this week for leaving her 7-month-old granddaughter in a hot car where the baby died —the second grandchild to die under Tracey Nix's care. ABC Action News I-Team Reporter Kylie McGivern sat down with Kaila Nix just days ahead of her mother's trial for aggravated manslaughter.
