Authorities have reported that a grandmother in Arizona kept her mentally-challenged granddaughter confined in a filthy cage until the young girl tragically passed away from severe injuries, leading to a homicide ruling.
The 13-year-old, identified as Melony Granados, was allegedly subjected to horrific abuse by her grandmother, Virginia Lujan, who was indicted for child abuse earlier this year. Lujan reportedly confined her granddaughter in a “makeshift cage” and physically assaulted her to maintain control, resulting in extensive bruising and sores, as per officials from Tempe.
Melony, who had the mental capacity of a toddler, was declared a homicide victim after investigators assessed her living conditions and examined her body, with reports from ABC 15 indicating that the circumstances were particularly disturbing.
“The configuration resembled a bunk bed missing the lower section, enclosed by baby gates and makeshift bars,” a police spokesperson explained to CBS 5.
The conditions within the rest of Lujan’s home were described as “deplorable” by police, further compounding the tragedy of the situation.
Emergency services found Melony unresponsive late on January 22; she was pronounced dead the following day at the hospital.
Virginia Lujan told law enforcement that Melony had simply fallen down the stairs. She claimed her failure to initially seek medical assistance stemmed from believing the injuries were not serious, only contacting authorities after the girl lost consciousness.
However, the varying stages of healing on Melony’s numerous injuries indicated prolonged abuse, according to investigators.
Melony’s mother, Jami Hodges, 33, did not live with her daughter, but she was allegedly aware of the abuse occurring.
“Both Lujan and Hodges acknowledged that Melony was confined to the ‘cage’ as a means of control,” officials stated.
Jami Hodges, who is also facing child abuse charges, reportedly denied any knowledge of a stair fall incident when questioned by the police.
Both Lujan and Hodges were charged with multiple counts of child abuse, alongside charges related to tampering with physical evidence and witnesses.
Sadly, Lujan passed away before she could face formal charges; authorities have not provided detailed information regarding her death, citing natural causes as the reason, as reported by ABC 15.
Jami Hodges has been released while awaiting charges and is currently caring for her four other children, who have been placed under the supervision of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, according to reports.
