Savannah's death has been classified as a homicide and both her grandmother and stepmother remain in Etowah County Detention Center on felony murder with aggravated child abuse charges. "We're still interviewing neighbors and other people who may have witnessed the incident of the child running. We'll make a determination whether to upgrade these charges to capital murder," said Jimmie Harp, Etowah County District Attorney. Garrard and Hardin are each being held on $500,000 cash bond. Although current evidence suggests that Garrard used verbal commands to keep Savannah moving, authorities have not yet determined whether physical force was used.
Further complicating matters, officials reported that Savannah's stepmother gave birth last Wednesday, during which time she was under armed guard at the hospital. It is now up to the Etowah County District Attorney's Office and the Department of Human Resources to devise a “safety plan” for both the newborn and a three-year old son belonging to Jessica Mae Hardin.
Robert Hardin, the father the newborn and the toddler, was in Pakistan working as a contractor with the US State Department when his daughter died. When he made it to his daughter's bedside, she was on life support and he ultimately decided to disconnect her.
According to court records, Robert had filed for a divorce from Savannah's stepmother during the summer of 2010, claiming that she abused alcohol and was bi-polar. Jessica denied the accusations and countered with accusations of both mental and physical abuse. However, the couple asked for a judge to dismiss the case five months later.
Investigators continue to look into the third-grader's short and seemingly turbulent life while classmates and neighbors decorate her desk and leave gifts outside of the trailer where she lived.
