Woman accused of grandson's drowning could face death penalty
The state of Florida is seeking the death penalty against the woman accused of drowning her 5-year-old grandson.
Marianne Bordt, a German national, was arrested on Jan. 4 after she allegedly drowned Camden Hiers, of Roswell, in the bathtub while her husband went to the store. Bordt told her husband, Heinz Bordt, she drowned the boy because she did not want him to grow up in a divorced home, police said.
Camden and his maternal grandparents were vacationing at St. George Island at the time of the boy's death. Camden's parents, David and Karin Hiers, divorced in 2006 and shared custody of the boy, a family friend previously told the AJC.
Bordt, 71, had a court hearing earlier this week in Florida, where she has been jailed since her arrest. Her public defender, Ines Suber, plans to waive Bordt's right to a speedy trial to allow more time to prepare, according to a Tallahassee television station.
Suber is also the attorney for Gary Michael Hilton, accused of decapitating a Florida nurse. Hilton is currently serving a life sentence for the 2008 murder of Buford hiker Meredith Emerson.
Bordt's next hearing is scheduled for July.
