A woman from Florida, responsible for the hit-and-run death of a cherished grandmother, declined to express any remorse as she was sentenced to just four years in prison.
During the sentencing of Sharon Cox on Tuesday, Patricia Garner’s relatives were present. Cox had pleaded guilty to the incident that resulted in Garner’s death and injured two other individuals in a parking lot at a community center in Miami Gardens in 2023, according to NBC 6.
Despite the emotional atmosphere, 65-year-old Cox chose to remain silent during the proceedings, offering no apology to Garner’s grieving family—a moment that left them feeling exasperated after months of advocating for accountability.
“Ms. Cox didn’t even bother to say she was sorry,” expressed Sandra Welch, Garner’s sister-in-law, outside the courtroom. “She remained completely silent.”
The family’s fury over Garner’s tragic death heightened earlier this year when they learned that prosecutors in Miami-Dade had initially offered Cox a plea deal that would have resulted in just a one-year prison sentence.
Following backlash from the family and the community regarding the leniency of the original plea, prosecutors retracted that offer and presented a new one proposing four years of incarceration.
“You have to advocate for your loved ones,” stated Bruce Baskin, Garner’s brother.
“The system won’t fight for your loved one—you have to take that stand. Patricia could not advocate for herself.”
Even with the revised plea deal, Garner’s family maintains that the sentence does not adequately convey the seriousness of the crime.
“The community should recognize that hit-and-runs happen every day, and people are left abandoned,” said Allie Mobley, Garner’s sister.
“To think that this is the amount of time she received for taking a life is deeply painful.”
Despite the absence of an apology from Cox, the family mentioned that they have forgiven her for the loss she caused.
“I’m a Christian,” Welch commented. “But at the very least, she could show some remorse in her heart. She didn’t even attempt to express that.”
However, Mobley emphasized that not a single day passes without the family feeling the absence of Garner.
“We will forever miss her,” Mobley lamented.
Per the terms of the plea deal, Cox will be on probation for two years following her release.
Her driving privileges have been revoked for five years, and she will also be required to attend traffic school and fulfill 100 hours of community service.
“The anguish of victimization is profoundly felt by every victim’s family in every criminal case,” the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office stated in response to NBC 6.
“We recognize that while this resolution reflects what the law permits and has been accepted by the victim’s family, no sentence can truly lessen the pain of losing a loved one.”
The office expressed hope that Garner’s family may find the means to commence their healing process and discover peace following Cox’s sentencing.
Cox’s attorney, Andrew Rier, conveyed that the case reached “an appropriate conclusion, albeit one that none of the parties found fully satisfactory.”
“This incident was tragic and complex, and we hope that this resolution provides some sense of closure for the family of the victim,” he added.
