Jessica Mae Hardin, Ala. stepmom accused of Savannah Hardin's running death, seeks lower bond

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: 911 ,; Daily Blotter

Jessica Hardin

/ Credit: AP Photo/Etowah County Sheriff's Office

(AP) GADSDEN, Ala. - The stepmother of a 9-year-old Alabama girl who was allegedly run to death as punishment is asking a judge to lower her bond.

Pictures: Stepmom, grandmother accused of running girl to death

Jessica Mae Hardin is due in court Friday for a hearing on a request to reduce her bond from $500,000 so she can be released.

The woman had a baby after her arrest, but Judge William Ogletree previously refused a similar motion.

The 28-year-old Hardin and 47-year-old Joyce Hardin Garrard are charged in the February death of Savannah Hardin, the older woman's granddaughter. Hardin is charged with murder, Garrard with capital murder.

Authorities say Garrard made the girl run for about three hours as punishment for a lie about eating candy. They say Hardin didn't intervene, and the girl collapsed.

Both women say they are innocent.

Complete coverage of Savannah Hardin's death on Crimesider

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Stepmom, grandmother accused of running girl to death

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by Major_Minor September 23, 2012 6:20 PM EDT: Ewww,.........just looking at the grandmothers photo.....ewww...mean and nasty looking old hag. I just can't believe why the mother didn't stand up to her. I bet she was seriously emotionally intimidated by the mean and nasty looking wicked old witch !! Yes they're gonna drop a house on her soon too.

Sad story, will human cruelty ever end? Yes. One day it will and what a day that will be indeed.; Reply to this comment


by mamahobbs September 22, 2012 3:45 PM EDT: why should the judge, or anybody else for that matter, show her mercy when she didn't show any for Savannah? I do understand that she was not the actual mother, and I do understand that it was the grandmother who was actually the enforcer. She might have felt uncomfortable, not knowing what she should do in a situation like that. Maybe she was scared of her stepmother too. I don't know the full story but I do know that she was an adult, capable of saving this childs life, and she chose to do nothing. She didn't show mercy, and the judge should not show her any mercy. period.; Reply to this comment


by angelofurnightmare September 22, 2012 10:41 AM EDT: Why lower her bond...she ran a child to death...don't let her out to hurt the poor child who had the bad luck to be her child!; Reply to this comment


by Silveron74 September 21, 2012 1:48 PM EDT: That poor little girl, the two people she trusted in this world have betrayed her. I'm so sorry Savannah this has happened to you. I'm sure this wasn't the first time you were abused as well. Nothing we can say will bring you back but know that alot of people would have been more than willing to help you if we had known anything like this was going on.

Rest In Peace Angel.; Reply to this comment