The Etowah County jury recommended life term for 49-year-old Joyce Garrad from Alabama for forcing her nine-year-old granddaughter in 2012 to run for three hours while carrying firewood. The run was punishment for Savannah Hardin who lied about eating candy on the school bus.

Savannah collapsed that night and died in a hospital the following day, reports People.com. The prosecutor had actually recommended death penalty for the "granny from hell," but the jury was divided. Only five voted for death penalty, while seven opted for life imprisonment.

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Assistant District Attorney Marcus Reid cited neighbors who heard Garrad yell at Savannah like a drill sergeant. During the three-hour run, Savannah puked on her hands and knees and begged her grandmother to stop.

He added that medics found the poor girl lying on the ground, her clothes and shoes were soaking wet. Garrad told the medics that her granddaughter collapsed, but deliberately withheld the fact that she ordered Savannah to run for hours non-stop, reports Daily Mail.

Reid disclosed that Savannah was not allowed to eat chocolates since she was taking medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and had a bladder problem. He said that Garrad was more upset that her granddaughter lied about eating candy, although she was also angry about that, too.

Garrad found out about Savannah eating candy when she talked to the school bus driver, Raenna Holmes, who told her that the girl took the candy without paying from another student who was selling it. That made Garrad angrier.

Dani Boone, Garrad's lawyer, said that while her client is grateful for sparing her from execution, Boone insisted that the trial was a travesty of justice. He said Garrad did not get a fair trial.

Heather Walker, the mother of Savannah, said during the trial that Garrad was not sorry for what she did to her daughter and should not be spared from the death penalty.

Garrad will be sentenced by Judge William Ogletree on May 11. 

Tagsgrandmother, Child abuse, Alabama