Eric Harder

A man who has fled the area following an arrest for child abuse is being added today to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers’ 10 Most Wanted list. Eric Leigh Harder, 27, is wanted for violating probation on two counts of child abuse.

He may still have ties to Lehigh Acres and Bonita Springs, authorities said.

Harder replaces Neil Little, who was apprehended last week in Michigan after abducting his 11 year old son, and evading family, and authorities, for more than four months.

Harder’s charges stem back to a 2004 incident when he was left to care for two young children, who were ages 2 and 3 at the time.

When the mothers returned home, they found their children severely beaten – both with bruising on their backs and buttocks, according to Trish Routte, coordinator with Crime Stoppers.

The youngest child, a female, additionally suffered a brutal laceration that was inflicted with either an extension cord, wire or clothes hanger. When Harder was approached by the mothers, he took off, but was eventually arrested for two counts of aggravated child abuse.

He was later released and put on probation, but consequently violated terms of his probation – which landed him in jail for nearly a year, Routte said. Upon his release a second time, Harder was again placed on probation, however history has repeated itself and now he’s on the run once again, she said.

Detectives say Harder took off to his native state of Michigan, where he continued to have run-ins with the law. In February 2010, he was arrested in St. Clair County, Mich., for the possession of marijuana, and then again in August 2010 for driving with a suspended/revoked license. He spent 30 days in jail for that crime, and was supposed to show back up in court following his release.

It was at that time that his Florida child abuse warrant was to be served upon him, thus starting the extradition process of bringing him back to Lee County, Routte said. But when his court date came up, Harder was a no-show, and now he’s a fugitive facing felony warrants in both Florida and Michigan, she said.

Harder’s child abuse arrest wasn’t his first time behind bars. He’s also spent jail time in Lee County for battery and drug charges.

He is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs 145 pounds and has a tattoo of the letter “E” on his left arm, and the word “Harder” on his stomach. He also has an additional tattoo on the right side of his neck. Harder may still have ties to the Lehigh and Bonita Springs areas, Routte said.

Crime Stoppers is looking for any information on his current whereabouts. Anyone with information on Harder’s location is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at: www.swflcrimestoppers.org or on the TipSubmit mobile app on any iPhone. All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.