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Forensic pathologist reviews Hardin death certificate

Thursday, March 22, 2012

We don't know much about Savannah Hardin's short nine years but her death is another story all together. "Basically she was caused to undergo physical exertion to the point in time where she just got dehydrated and her electrolyte levels got to the point where she couldn't survive life," Etowah County DA Jimmie Harp said. Savannah died just over a month ago and her grandmother and stepmother are accused of "running her to death." But does the medical evidence tell the same story? Savannah's exact cause of death according to her death certificate is a "seizure disorder due to hyponatremia." To someone without any medical expertise that cause of death might not mean much. But to one of the country's leading forensic pathologists, it means a lot.

Dr. Cyril Wecht is a forensic medicine expert, working on cases involving Elvis, JonBenet Ramsey and JFK. Now he's weighing in on the Hardin case. As for the accusation of running her to death, Dr. Wecht speculates that it doesn't seem likely. "I'm not going to say it's impossible but I would say it's improbable because as I say when you are running and reach a point of physical exertion you legs just aren't going to move anymore, just won't move. You can't make somebody move their legs," Dr. Wecht said. In layman's terms, he told he stated what Savannah's cause of death means.

"The information is this little girl suffered from hyponatremia, which means a decreased amount of sodium. Sodium is one of the principal electrolytes in our blood," Wecht said. Wecht said many of the answers lie in hospital records, which aren't public. Even so, Wecht said the case is puzzling.

"The pathologist ruled that as a homicide. And then said the body had been sent to Huntsville, Alabama for autopsy. So, I don't understand how you make a ruling on the manner of death. And then you have an autopsy done," Wecht said. Dr. Wecht was asked whether improper treatment at the hospital could have contributed to Savannah's death if she didn't in fact die from being "run to death." "That could have well happened. If they gave too much, they did not monitor the electrolyte level, oh yes. That is not at all implausible that the electrolyte replacement and overall fluid replacement were not handled properly," Wecht said. Dr. Wecht said the prosecution's case is strong and it will be up to the defense to make a case that Savannah had an underlying medical condition.

Local defense attorney Richard Jaffe agrees with that statement. "I don't think there's much doubt that the child died as a result of an electrolyte imbalance. But the questions that are going to be raised during litigation are exactly why did this child die when it is a treatable condition?" Jaffe said. While both these experts said that this case isn't black and white, DA Harp won't likely agree.

"We feel certainly a capital murder warrant is the appropriate charge for that particular defendant," Harp said. Harp hopes to have this case in front of a jury by the end of the year.

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Keywords: Savannah Hardin, forensic pathologist, Etowah County,

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