WAUCHULA, Fla. – A Florida grandmother who is in jail after her granddaughter died under her watch in a hot car months after her grandson died in her care is accusing two women of extorting her in jail.
Who is Tracey Nix?
Tracey Nix is a Wauchula grandmother who spent decades as a teacher.
Timeline:
In December 2021, deputies say her 16-month-old grandson wandered outside and drowned in a pond on Nix’s property.
Nix was not charged in that case.
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In November 2022, Nix’s 7-month-old granddaughter died after she was left in a hot car while Nix was babysitting.
Two of Tracey Nix’s grandchildren died in her care less than a year apart.
In January 2025, a jury found her not guilty of aggravated manslaughter, but guilty of leaving a child in a car unattended.
After the verdict was read, Nix was taken into custody. She was ordered to be held in jail without bond until her sentencing.
Sextortion
According to an affidavit, while in jail, two women, Sandra Cardoza and Rosanna Sanchez, came up with a scheme to get money from Nix.
Dig deeper:
Documents show that on February 19, Sanchez asked Nix to write her a love letter and Nix drafted a fabricated newspaper advertisement depicting a romantic relationship between herself and Sanchez.
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After Nix read the document to Sanchez, documents show that Sanchez demanded $1,000 from Nix, threatening to send it to the local newspaper if she did not comply.
Pictured: Rosanna Sanchez. Image is courtesy of the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office.
The affidavit states Nix called her husband “under duress” and asked him to trust her and bring the money to the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office.
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Nix’s husband met with a woman, later identified as Cardoza’s sister, Guadalupe Botello, in the parking lot and handed over the money.
On February 26, documents show Sanchez demanded an additional $10,000 from Nix and threatened to publicly expose her sexuality if she did not comply.
Pictured: Sandra Cardoza. Image is courtesy of the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office.
When Nix declined, the affidavit states that Sanchez pinned Nix against a wall.
Nix escaped and called detention staff for help.
While investigating, authorities say Nix admitted to having a consensual sexual encounter with Sanchez that also involved Cardoza on at least one occasion.
Tracey Nix mugshot courtesy of the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office.
Nix also told investigators that Sanchez claimed to have different personalities and had offered a voodoo ritual for a fee of $15,000 to ensure that Nix’s current legal charges would disappear.
Investigators looked at video footage that confirmed that Nix’s husband handed over a white envelope to a Hispanic woman in the sheriff’s office parking lot on February 19. They also analyzed call logs that corroborated statements from Nix and her husband.
Cardoza has been charged with extortion, illegal use of a 2-way communication device, and conspiracy.
Sanchez has been charged with attempt to commit extortion, extortion, and conspiracy.
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What’s next:
Nix was transferred to the DeSoto County Jail on February 27 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3.
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