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9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
2 charged in death of Ala girl forced to run
By JAY REEVES | Associated Press – 7 hrs ago.
Roger Simpson said he looked down the road and saw a little girl running outside her home but didn't give it another thought. Police, however, said the man witnessed a murder in progress.
Authorities say 9-year-old Savannah Hardin died after being forced to run for three hours as punishment for having lied to her grandmother about eating candy bars. Severely dehydrated, the girl had a seizure and died days later. Now, her grandmother and stepmother who police say meted out the punishment were taken to jail Wednesday and face murder charges.
Witnesses told deputies Savannah was told to run and not allowed to stop for three hours on Friday, an Etowah County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said. The girl's stepmother, 27-year-old Jessica Mae Hardin, called police at 6:45 p.m., telling them Savannah was having a seizure and was unresponsive.
Simpson said he saw a little girl running at around 4 p.m., but didn't see anybody chasing or coercing her.
"I saw her running down there, that's what I told the detectives," Simpson said from his home on a hill overlooking the Hardins. "But I don't see how that would kill her."
Authorities are still trying to determine whether Savannah was forced to run by physical coercion or by verbal commands. Deputies were told the girl was made to run after lying to her grandmother, 46-year-old Joyce Hardin Garrard, about having eaten the candy, sheriff's office spokeswoman Natalie Barton said.
Savannah Hardin died Monday at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. The sheriff's release said an autopsy report showed the girl was extremely dehydrated and had a very low sodium level. A state pathologist ruled it a homicide.
The sheriff's office received calls from concerned citizens who witnessed the girl running. No other details were released, but an official with the local volunteer fire department said rescuers thought something seemed odd when they responded to a call about the child.
"One of the ones who were down there said he didn't feel like everything was right," said Ruby Ward, vice president of the Mountainboro Volunteer Fire Department.
Gail Denny and her husband Phil, live just up a dirt road from the home. They've known the family since they moved to the area in northeastern Alabama seven years ago.
The couple said they were used to seeing Savannah and other neighborhood children out waiting on the school bus in the morning. Gail Denny said her grandson had a crush on Savannah.
"My grandson asked her to be his girlfriend on Valentine's Day, and she said 'yes,'" she said before dissolving into tears. She left a candle and stuffed animal outside the girl's home Wednesday night, saying a prayer as she paused beside the road.
The trailer where Savannah lived was surrounded by a wooden fence, playground equipment and toys. Neighbors say they never saw children playing in the yard.
They told The Associated Press that Garrard owned a lot of property along the road and much of her family lived in homes on that property.
"It seems like a very happy extended family around here," Denny said. "There are mothers, grandmothers, kids. It sounds like a punishment that got out of hand."
Garrard and Jessica Mae Hardin are being held in the Etowah County Detention Center, each on a $500,000 cash bond.
Court records show that Robert Hardin filed for divorce in August of 2010. In his complaint, he asserted his wife was bi-polar and had alcoholic tendencies. He accused her previously of having run off with the couple's own child. In her response, Jessica denied all of Robert's allegations.
Five months after filing for divorce, the two asked a judge to dismiss their case.
Savannah Hardin was a third-grader at Carlisle Elementary School. Superintendent Alan Cosby said her desk had been turned into a makeshift memorial where her classmates could leave notes and mementos. He said counselors and social workers were made available for students.
"This is obviously a very tragic, devastating, heartbreaking situation," Cosby said. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
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Message edited 2/23/2012 10:42:11 AM.
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Posted 2/23/12 10:41 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
I'm 110% for an eye for an eye in this case. Hope they stick a treadmill in both of their cells!
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:44 AM |
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leighdvm
My golden boys!
Member since 3/06 4419 total posts
Name:
Michele
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
How heartbreaking for that little girl. I will never understand how people can be so unbelievably cruel to a child 
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:51 AM |
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headoverheels
s'il vous plaît
Member since 6/07 42079 total posts
Name:
LB
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
This breaks my heart.
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:55 AM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
So sad.
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:57 AM |
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Bearcat
Love my little girls!!! <3
Member since 6/10 10818 total posts
Name:
E
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
absolutely incomprehensible.
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:59 AM |
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Mushesgirl
Too blessed to be stressed
Member since 4/09 6691 total posts
Name:
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
What the f!!!!???!!! Hang 'em!!!
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| Posted 2/23/12 10:59 AM |
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lvdolphins
My Loves!
Member since 5/05 46292 total posts
Name:
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
This makes me sick! 
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| Posted 2/23/12 11:11 AM |
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Dulcinea
Weekend Warrior
Member since 3/08 2530 total posts
Name:
Dulcinea
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
I hope both the grandma and stepmother get the max. time in jail and rot in there for a long long time! 
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| Posted 2/23/12 11:29 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
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| Posted 2/23/12 11:41 AM |
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beachgirl
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 7967 total posts
Name:
sara
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
This is evil at its worst. These type of people should be locked up forever. I cannot understand how someone can make another human being suffer and especially a child. My heart breaks for that child and its so unfair how some kids end up with such evil monsters as this for their caregivers. It makes me sick to my stomach
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| Posted 2/23/12 11:52 AM |
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Dulcinea
Weekend Warrior
Member since 3/08 2530 total posts
Name:
Dulcinea
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
Holy cow! The stepmother just gave birth in jail but the baby is in the father's custody now.
This doesn't change my opinion about her but sure does shake things up abit.
linky
Message edited 2/23/2012 12:33:27 PM.
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| Posted 2/23/12 12:33 PM |
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Peainapod
Peanuts are here!
Member since 1/09 13591 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
why do people like this even have children. good god. i hope that little girl is in peace now.
monsters...
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| Posted 2/23/12 1:49 PM |
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PaddysGirl
Little princess is here!
Member since 4/07 5923 total posts
Name:
Crystal
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
Super sad I don't understand how some people can have children
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| Posted 2/23/12 2:04 PM |
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cj7305
=)
Member since 8/05 12296 total posts
Name:
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
I am just sick and heartbroken after reading this
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| Posted 2/23/12 2:10 PM |
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Phyl
R.I.P. Sweet Mia ♥
Member since 5/06 28918 total posts
Name:
The Mystical Azzhorse! ™
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Re: 9 year old girl dies after being forced to run for 3 hours
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| Posted 2/23/12 3:58 PM |
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