A Maricopa County grand jury has indicted 55-year-old Virginia Lujan on charges of child abuse and other offenses related to the death of her teenage granddaughter. The girl, who had a rare form of epilepsy and cognitive impairments equivalent to a 3-year-old, was found unresponsive in Lujan's Tempe townhouse on January 20th and died the next day.
Police discovered a disturbing scene at the residence. The girl was reportedly confined for extended periods in a modified bunk bed that had been transformed into a cage-like enclosure. The home was described as unsanitary, with trash and insects present. The enclosure itself contained human waste.
The victim was one of five children belonging to Lujan's daughter, Jami Hodges. Hodges had transferred guardianship of four of her children to Lujan in 2021 and was living with her mother due to housing issues. According to reports, none of Hodges' children were enrolled in school. Hodges was also arrested but released pending charges.
Hodges stated she noticed the victim acting strangely and exhibiting a rash on January 21st, the day before the girl's death. Lujan allegedly told first responders that the victim had fallen a few days prior. Medical examination revealed bruises in various stages of healing, dried blood in the victim's ear, and facial swelling.
Lujan is currently being held on a $500,000 secured appearance bond and faces additional charges of tampering with physical evidence, tampering with a witness, and three counts of contributing to the dependency of a child.
