An Alabama woman was convicted Friday of murder after forcing her 9-year-old granddaughter to run until she collapsed from exhaustion and died three days later, the Associated Press reported.
Throughout her highly publicized trial, Joyce Hardin Garrard was accused by prosecutors of killing her granddaughter Savannah Hardin in 2012 by making her pick up wood and run for hours as punishment for lying.
"She was tortured," Assistant District Attorney Carol Griffith said during closing arguments.
Garrard, 49, said she did not mean to harm the child. Her defense attorney Richard Rhea painted a picture of a loving grandmother who was caring for Savannah while her father was abroad. But the Etowah County jury rejected Garrard's assertions and found her guilty of capital murder after three hours of deliberation, the AP reported.
The grandmother admitted to punishing Savannah for telling a lie about candy. But Garrard said she only made Savannah pick up sticks in her yard. Garrard also admitted to making the girl run, but said it was only so she could practice for races at her school.
Savannah began vomiting, suffered a seizure and died after spending three days in the hospital, the AP reported.
Prosecutors said Garrard ignored her granddaughter's pleas and wanted to make an example of Savannah. Investigators obtained surveillance video from a school bus that purportedly showed Garrard saying she would make Savannah run to teach her a lesson, according to the AP.
Garrard faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole. Her sentencing trial is expected to begin Monday.
