Woman Receives Short Sentence for Incident Involving Grandmother

A 65-year-old woman from Florida is facing prison time after she tragically struck and killed a grandmother outside a Miami community center, subsequently fleeing the scene. However, the victim’s family believes her sentence is insufficient.

Sharon Cox received a four-year prison sentence for the death of 67-year-old Patricia Garner in 2023.

“To receive such a short sentence for taking a life is painful,” remarked Allie Mobley, Garner’s sister, in an interview with local ABC affiliate WPLG.

Mobley further expressed, “It’s disheartening that penalties for harming a dog are often harsher than those for taking a human life.”

In July 2023, Garner, her son, and some of her grandchildren were walking through the parking lot of the Community Action and Services Center at Bunche Park when Cox hit Garner and two others before driving off. Thanks to a community center employee who recorded the suspect’s license plate, police were able to arrest Cox at her residence later that day.

Cox pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash with death and other charges. A judge handed down her sentence on Tuesday. She did not make a statement during the plea hearing, which upset Garner’s family, relatives told local NBC affiliate WTVJ.

“Ms. Cox didn’t even stand up and say that she was sorry,” Sandra Welch, Garner’s sister-in-law, told the TV station. “She didn’t say one word.”

Prosecutors initially were going to offer Cox a deal in which she would have to serve just one year behind bars, but Garner’s family wouldn’t go for it.

“You have to fight for your own loved one,” said Bruce Baskin, Garner’s brother. “The system is not going to fight for your loved one — you have to fight. Patricia was not here to fight for herself.”

The Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office released the following statement to local media.

“For every family member in every criminal case, the pain of victimization always cuts deep,” the statement said. “We understand that though this resolution is what the law allows in this case and had been accepted by the victim’s family, no sentence can ever lessen the loss of a loved one. Our hope is that now they can begin their grieving process and find peace.”

Cox’s attorney in a statement to WTVJ called the plea deal an “appropriate resolution where none of the parties involved were fully satisfied.”

“This was a tough case, a tragic accident, and we hope this finality can bring closure to the victim’s family,” attorney Andrew Rier said.