Grandma, mom kept child in makeshift cage before she died: Cops
Virginia Lujan (Maricopa County Sheriff

Virginia Lujan (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office).

An elderly woman and a mother in Arizona have been accused of causing the death of a 13-year-old special-needs girl through abuse. The child, who had the mental capacity of a 3-year-old, was reportedly beaten and subjected to cruel punishment, including confinement in a cage soiled with feces.

Virginia Lujan, aged 55, and Jami Hodges, aged 33, were arrested on Tuesday and charged with child abuse related to the tragic death of the victim, who was both their granddaughter and daughter.

As per a statement from the Tempe Police Department, law enforcement officers responded to a distress call at Lujan’s residence around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, January 21. The call was made by the grandmother reporting that her 13-year-old granddaughter was unresponsive.

Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located the victim and attempted life-saving measures before rushing her to a local hospital for treatment. Police inside the home noted that the victim was “covered in bruises and sores,” all of which were “in various stages of healing,” which is a telltale indicator of ongoing physical abuse.

Due to “initial observations” and the severity of the child’s condition, police notified members of the Criminal Investigation Bureau about the case.

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