Savannah Hardin run to death...Alabama

[4 Donks]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120222/NEWS/120229956/1016/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg

Grandmother, stepmother charged in 9-year-old's death

A 9-year-old third-grader died after her grandmother apparently made her run for three hours as punishment for lying about eating candy bars that she had gotten on the school bus, Sheriff Todd Entrekin said Wednesday during a news conference.
 ::snipping2::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charges may be upgraded to capital murder

[Sister]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120222/NEWS/120229956/1016/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg

Grandmother, stepmother charged in 9-year-old's death

A 9-year-old third-grader died after her grandmother apparently made her run for three hours as punishment for lying about eating candy bars that she had gotten on the school bus, Sheriff Todd Entrekin said Wednesday during a news conference.
 ::snipping2::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charges may be upgraded to capital murder

At least the bail ($500,000) may be sufficient to keep these monsters in jail.  God bless this child.

[cartfly]

Savannah Hardin, 9, died Monday at Children's Hospital in Birmingham. Savannah was a third-grade student at Carlisle Elementary School.



http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120222/NEWS/120229956/1016/NEWS?p=1&tc=pg

[cookie]

just read this..what the hell??
for eating a piece of candy? what has our world come to??  what ever happened to time outs when a child is naughty? what kid wouldn't eat a piece of candy if they saw it laying around? She had to die because of it??? by the looks of mom and granny, they could have given up a few pieces of candy! I hope they choke everytime they eat a piece of candy from now on!
 

[Anna]

I hope it is upgraded to capital murder.  Maybe it can because of the death of a child.  Both of them should get it.

[cookie]

I agree Anna...I am so mad right now

[Sister]

Anna and Cookie, I agree.  What kind of punishment is this?  My father was very strict, and I do mean very.  However, he never punished is such a demented way.
 

[MuffyBee]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/stepmom-girl-died-gave-birth-arrest-day-15775341
Stepmom Gives Birth After Arrest in Girl's Death
By ANDY BROWNFIELD Associated Press
February 23, 2012

An Alabama woman has given birth the same day she was arrested for the death of her 9-year-old stepdaughter, who authorities say died after being forced to run for three hours as punishment for eating a candy bar.

Etowah County District Attorney Jimmie Harp says Jessica Mae Hardin is under guard at a hospital after giving birth Wednesday.
 ::snipping2::
Harp says Savannah Hardin had a bladder condition and was not supposed to have the caffeine in chocolate. He says there is no evidence the condition contributed to her death.

[Sister]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/stepmom-girl-died-gave-birth-arrest-day-15775341
Stepmom Gives Birth After Arrest in Girl's Death
By ANDY BROWNFIELD Associated Press
February 23, 2012

An Alabama woman has given birth the same day she was arrested for the death of her 9-year-old stepdaughter, who authorities say died after being forced to run for three hours as punishment for eating a candy bar.

Etowah County District Attorney Jimmie Harp says Jessica Mae Hardin is under guard at a hospital after giving birth Wednesday.
 ::snipping2::
Harp says Savannah Hardin had a bladder condition and was not supposed to have the caffeine in chocolate. He says there is no evidence the condition contributed to her death.

Oh joy, another child to be subjected to her form of punishment.
Prayers for this little baby!

[MuffyBee]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/police-stepmother-grandmother-charged-in-death-of-9-year-old-ala-girl-forced-to-run-3-hours/2012/02/22/gIQAnOQCUR_story.html?tid=pm_pop
Stepmom accused of murder in Ala. 9-year-old’s running death gave birth after arrest
Published February 22, 2012, Updated February 23, 2012

 ::snipping2::
Jessica Mae Hardin, 27, was transferred from the Etowah County Detention Center to a hospital on Wednesday, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Natalie Barton said. Etowah County District Attorney Jimmie Harp confirmed that Hardin had given birth hours after she was arrested. He said he didn’t know whether the newborn was a boy or a girl.
 ::snipping2::
Alabama law requires people who are arrested to be informed of the charges against them in an initial appearance within 72 hours. Barton said Jessica Hardin’s hearing will likely be held once she is released from the hospital.

The Birmingham News reports that Hardin has been appointed Morgan Cunningham as a public defender. Cunningham did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press.

A defense attorney for Garrard said the woman has been falsely accused.

“It is my belief Ms. Garrard will be vindicated ... and found not guilty of the allegation against her,” attorney Dani Bone wrote in a statement.
 ::snipping2::
The Alabama Department of Human Resources has been called in to create a safety plan for Jessica’s newborn, as well as the couple’s 3-year-old son, Harp said.

Department spokesman Barry Spear says the older child has been placed with a relative, and the plan is for the infant to be given to the same relative when it leaves the hospital. Speak said he could not reveal with whom the children were placed.

 ::snipping2::
The girl was taken to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham where she was kept on life support while Robert Hardin, a contractor with the U.S. State Department, took eight flights to return to Alabama.
 ::snipping2::
Court records show that Robert Hardin filed for divorce in August of 2010. In his complaint, he asserted his wife was bi-polar and of had alcoholic tendencies. He accused her of previously having run off with the couple’s own child. In her response, Jessica denied all of Robert’s allegations.

 ::snipping2::

Video at Link

[MuffyBee]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120223/WORK/120229921/1084/NEWS?Title=Records-that-could-pertain-to-Hardin-case-sealed
Records that could pertain to Hardin case sealed
By Lisa Rogers
Times Staff Writer
February 23, 2012

Existing court records that could pertain to a 9-year-old girl who died Monday after she allegedly was punished for eating candy bars and lying about it have been sealed until they are reviewed by a judge.

Presiding Circuit Judge Allen Millican on Thursday ordered all domestic relations court documents to be sealed until 5 p.m. Monday while he reviews them.

The documents could have information about Savannah Hardin or family members.

Information in some of the documents already was in circulation before the records were sealed.
 ::snipping2::
Savannah’s father and stepmother had custody of her and she was living with her stepmother.

Dani Bone, attorney for Garrard, made the request to Millican that the documents be sealed because of publicity in the case.

District Attorney Jimmie Harp said he also wanted the records sealed to protect the rights of the women who are charged with murder.
 ::snipping2::
 
“We wanted to do it as a precaution,” he said. “This case doesn’t need to be tried in the media.”

Morgan Cunningham and Vince Pentecost late Thursday were appointed to represent Hardin.

Cunningham said he could not comment about the order for the documents to be sealed because he and Pentecost had just been appointed to the case.

 ::snipping2::

Court documents are expected to be released in Lakeland, Fla., where Savannah once lived with her mother, Heather Hardin.

The Department of Children and Families had several investigations in which Heather Hardin was the target, the Ledger in Lakeland reported.

According to DCF spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner, DCF investigated the child’s living arrangements several times between 2007 and 2009.

Officials with DCF said they anticipate releasing a cache of records regarding those investigations soon, The Ledger reported.
 ::snipping2::
The family alleges the child had a bladder condition and wasn’t supposed to have chocolate because of it. However, Entrekin said the pathologist indicated there was no evidence the child had a bladder condition.

More...
(4 pg article)

[labubske]

Just read my local paper and found that sweet Savannah's mother lives here in Lakeland. 

The 9-year-old third grader who Alabama officials said was run to death by her grandmother in Attalla, Ala., on Monday has ties to Lakeland and a history of familial investigations from across the state, an official with the Department of Children and Families said.

Heather Hardin, of 1325 Mann Road, the mother of Savannah Hardin, could not be reached Thursday at her modest, single-story home just north of the city. Attempts to contact her by phone were unsuccessful also.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20120223/NEWS/120229722?tc=cr

[Sister]

Just read my local paper and found that sweet Savannah's mother lives here in Lakeland. 

The 9-year-old third grader who Alabama officials said was run to death by her grandmother in Attalla, Ala., on Monday has ties to Lakeland and a history of familial investigations from across the state, an official with the Department of Children and Families said.Heather Hardin, of 1325 Mann Road, the mother of Savannah Hardin, could not be reached Thursday at her modest, single-story home just north of the city. Attempts to contact her by phone were unsuccessful also.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20120223/NEWS/120229722?tc=cr

BBM
This sounds like it will get worse, if it ever gets better.
 

[Puzzler]

I just heard about this - it's unbelievable!

[4 Donks]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120224/NEWS/120229907/1016/NEWS?Title=TV-discussion-on-child-s-death-prompts-calls-to-sheriff-s-office
TV discussion on child's death prompts calls to sheriff's office

 ::snipping2::
But one element of the show had an impact the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office personnel did not expect. The office’s phone number was displayed on the screen during the show, which aired on CNN Headline News.

From the time the show aired at 7 p.m. through about 4 a.m. Friday, the sheriff’s office dispatcher fielded about 200 phone calls.

“Most thought they were calling into the show,” said Natalie Barton, public information officer at the sheriff’s office.

[theboyzmom]

Why would anyone do this? I can not imagine! The other thing I can not figure out is the dad filed for divorce claiming the step monster was bi-polar and alcoholic - so what does he do - not only does he leave his kids with her, he makes another one with her (assuming it is his) - why would any person with any common sense do that? Wonder how the three year old was treated?

[4getUnot]

Why would anyone do this? I can not imagine! The other thing I can not figure out is the dad filed for divorce claiming the step monster was bi-polar and alcoholic - so what does he do - not only does he leave his kids with her, he makes another one with her (assuming it is his) - why would any person with any common sense do that? Wonder how the three year old was treated?

ITA  Why did he fight for to take custody away from her mom if he was just going to leave her with someone else.  I think one thing that definitely needs to be changed in our laws is that child custody should be non transferable. A parent who wins custody should not be allowed to pawn give that responsibility to some one else for long indefinite periods of time.  For heaven's sake, this Savannah's father was in another country!  KWIM 

[4 Donks]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120224/WIRE/120229892/1016/NEWS?Title=Hardin-s-life-full-of-turmoil-before-death-records-show

Hardin's life full of turmoil before death, records show

[Sister]

http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20120224/WIRE/120229892/1016/NEWS?Title=Hardin-s-life-full-of-turmoil-before-death-records-show

Hardin's life full of turmoil before death, records show

Oh 4 Donks, this is so sad.  School must have been such a retreat for this precious child.  Where she is now she is whole and happy and knows for a fact she is a wanted child.

[4 Donks]

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/17029263/savanjudge-orders-savannah-hardin-files-unsealed

Judge orders Savannah Hardin files unsealed

Savannah Hardin court documents Part 1 (46 pages)

Savannah Hardin court documents Part 2 (172 pages)

Savannah Hardin court documents Part 3 (115 pages)