Child as a Victim of Abuse and Neglect - Essay Example

But her grandmother was adamant that she should not stop. While running, she underwent a seizure and eventually died because of her grandmother’s emotionless behavior towards her. Her punishment to the girl in her own words was recorded in a school bus surveillance video that is regarded as evidence against the woman.

Joyce Hardin Garrard is forty-nine years female who got arrested and convicted of killing her granddaughter by coercing her to run for hours. During the trial, Garrard was held accountable for torturing the child, but her defense attorney claimed that she did not give any punishment to the girl, but was trying to train her for the races. However, this claim appeared false when the school bus surveillance video was presented to the jury in which, the woman has informed the bus driver that she was punishing the girl for telling a lie. She has been found guilty of child abuse and capital punishment is expected for her act. Along with Garrard, the stepmother of Savannah, Jessica Mae Hardin is also charged with not intervening when the girl was punished and later on, murdered.

There are no cultural or ethnic issues involved in this incident. The murderer (grandmother), victimized (Savannah Hardin), and observer (stepmother) were families. Savannah’s stepmother’s no intervention resulted in the killing of the girl is also objectionable.

The girl’s grandmother was arrested by the police and her case was trailed in the Alabama court so the law enforcement agency is involved in handling the case. The prosecutors want the death penalty for the grandmother while she can also get life in prison as punishment. Being responsible for making Savannah run till death, she is convicted of murdering the minor and for this charge, she will get harsh punishment as per her act.

The girl lost her life at the hands of her grandmother who should be a lovable figure. However, due to her adamant behavior, uncontrollable anger, and punishment for the child, the child underwent exceeding form of child abuse by losing her life. Moreover, the stepmother of the girl remained there without stopping the old lady not to extend her punishment to this limit. In my opinion, the family members of the girl present there were careless and neglectful towards the girl and for preventing such happenings, family counseling should be given to people.