Jessica Mae Hardin appeared before Judge William Ogletree on Friday, June 3 and

pled guilty to Aggravated Child Abuse, as a lesser-included offense of Felony Murder, as

originally charged in the indictment. The charge was based upon the February 2012 death of
9 year old Savannah Hardin, as a result of prolonged physical exertion that led to severe
hyponatremia, an extreme electrolyte imbalance that led to seizures, brain damage and
ultimately, death.
Joyce Garrard, Savannahs paternal grandmother, was tried by an Etowah County jury
in early 2015 on a charge of Capital Murder. The evidence established that Garrard punished
Savannah for eating candy on the school bus the day before, then lying about it. Testimony
indicated that the punishment went on for hours, even after Savannah was crying and
throwing up. Finally, she collapsed in the yard, and began having seizures, and died at
Childrens Hospital three days later on February 20, 2012. Jessica Hardin, Savannahs
stepmother, was present at the home with her 3 year old son while Garrard was making
Savannah run, and did not intervene on the childs behalf.
Garrard was convicted following jury trial on the charge of Capital Murder in March
2015, and later died while serving a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of
parole at the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women. The case against Garrard was prosecuted by
former District Attorney Jimmie Harp, along with Chief Deputy District Attorney Marcus
Reid and Deputy District Attorneys Carol Griffith and Brynn Crain.
According to the prosecutors, the States theory of the case against Jessica Hardin was
that she, as the stepmother, was responsible for the care, custody or supervision of Savannah,
and she abused the child by failing to intervene on her behalf during the prolonged
punishment inflicted on the child by Garrard, which resulted in serious physical injuries that
led to her death. Continuing investigation by the Etowah County Sheriffs Department and
the Office of the District Attorney, as well as testimony during the Garrard trial, however, led
to a conclusion that Hardin was extremely intimidated by her mother-in-law, Garrard, to the
point of being frightened for her own safety. At the time of the murder, Hardin was living in a
home owned by Garrard and her husband, while Savannahs father, Robert Hardin, was
working overseas.
From the beginning of the investigation in 2012, it was clear that Jessica Hardin was
afraid of Joyce Garrard. While meeting with witnesses during preparation for Garrards trial,
we learned that Garrard had a history of threatening, overbearing and intimidating behavior
toward other people as well. Taking that information into consideration, as well as
information from the ongoing investigation, the State ultimately reached the conclusion that
while Jessica Hardin was not blameless in this situation, her actions, or lack of actions, were
not sufficient to support a conviction for felony murder, Willoughby stated.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Marcus Reid said, Everyone who had been involved
with the investigation and prosecution of these cases felt that the plea to Aggravated Child
Abuse was appropriate. Each of us believed that this plea of guilty by Jessica Hardin would
represent justice for Savannah. Savannahs parents, Robert Hardin and Heather Walker
were consulted and involved in the plea negotiations in the case.

According to the terms of the guilty plea, Hardin was sentenced to twenty (20) years in
the State penitentiary. That sentence was split, providing for a period of three years to be
served. Hardin received credit for time she served in the Etowah County Detention Center
prior to posting bond in the case, and the balance of the split sentence was diverted to the
Etowah County Community Corrections Program, where Hardin will be considered a state
inmate, but allowed to remain out of physical custody so long as she abides by certain rules
and conditions. The split sentence will be followed by a period of five years supervised
probation. Hardin was also ordered to pay various costs and fees associated with the case.
Willoughby stated, This was a case that garnered a great deal of national attention.
The facts, as in any case involving the death of another person, particularly a defenseless
child, are heartbreaking. It is the ethical duty of a prosecutor, however, to seek justice in
every criminal case. Justice was sought and found in the case against Joyce Garrard when the
jury convicted her of Capital Murder, and the Court later sentenced her to life imprisonment
without the possibility of parole. Justice was also sought and found against Jessica Hardin
for her actions/ inactions, and we feel strongly that this conviction and sentence fulfills that
ethical duty.