A 13-year-old Arizona girl died on Wednesday, a day after she was reportedly found living in a cage
According to KNXV, Virginia Lujan, 55, called Tempe police on Tuesday about her granddaughter who was not breathing. Officials said the girl was covered in sores and bruises and lived in a makeshift cage that had a foul odor and was filled with feces.
“The best way to describe it, it was a bunk bed, but the lower bed of that bunk was not there. And the bunk bed around the bottom was surrounded by baby cages and makeshift bars,” police spokesperson Jessica Ells explained, according to KPHO.
The girl reportedly had severe cognitive issues and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. Lujan was caring for her granddaughter and Jami Hodges’ four other children. Hodges, 33, was temporarily living with Lujan but had not seen her daughter often, according to KSAZ.
Lujan allegedly told police that her granddaughter fell down the stairs on Sunday, and she did not seek medical attention because she thought the girl was fine. Hodges claimed she was unaware of the incident.
Lujan and Hodges allegedly confessed to keeping the girl in a cage to keep control of her.
Hodges’ four other children range in age from 2 to 15. Police said the children are in state custody, noting that none of them were in school.
Lujan and Hodges were arrested on child abuse charges. However, Hodges was released pending further investigation.
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[Feature Photo: Tempe Police Department]
