Alabama woman convicted in granddaughter's running death set for sentencing

GADSDEN, Ala. – An Alabama woman is due in court for sentencing in the running death of her 9-year-old granddaughter.

Joyce Hardin Garrard faces a penalty of either life without parole or death for what jurors found was the intentional killing of Savannah Hardin in 2012.

The jury recommended life for the woman. But an Etowah County judge could still sentence her to die.

Jurors convicted the 50-old Garrard of capital murder in March.

Prosecutors say the woman made the child run for hours as punishment for a lie about candy. The youngster collapsed and died three days later in a hospital.

Garrard denies that she meant to harm the child. She told jurors the girl was running as practice because she wanted to do better in a race at school.