Mother and grandmother arrested in connection to death of 13yearold girl kept in cage
Jan 23, 2025
Police in Arizona are investigating the death of a teen girl after she was found unresponsive while being cared for by her grandmother.
According to Tempe Police, officers were called to the home of 55-year-old Virginia Lujan after she called 911 to report that her 13-year-old granddaughter was not breathing.
The girl, who was also “covered in bruises and sores,” was then rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead hours later Wednesday morning, police said.
Lujan told investigators she was temporarily taking care of the 13-year-old and four other children for her daughter, the children’s mother, 33-year-old Jami Hodges.
During the investigation, Lujan told police the girl had cognitive delay and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. She also said the girl had fallen down some stairs on Sunday but did not seek medical attention because she thought she would recover, Telemundo Arizona reported.
During the execution of a search warrant, officers found a “makeshift cage,” with feces and a foul odor, Telemundo Arizona reported.
Lujan and Hodges then admitted to police that they kept the girl in the cage to “control her,” police said.
“No child should ever have to endure suffering,” police Chief Kenneth McCoy said in a press conference. “The tragic loss of a child is a profound reminder of our shared responsibility to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
Lujan and Hodges were arrested and are facing felony child abuse charges. Attorney information for Lujan and Hodges was not immediately available. The four children, who range from 2 to 15 years of age, were placed under the care of the Department of Child Safety, officials said.