Arizona girl’s death ruled homicide after being kept in cage at grandmother’s home: report
Virginia Lujan, 55, reportedly died in custody before facing additional charges
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The death of a 13-year-old girl with epilepsy has reportedly been ruled a homicide, after authorities said she had been kept in a "makeshift cage" inside her grandmother's Arizona home.
Melony Granados — who suffered from a rare form of epilepsy and cognitive impairments that left her functioning at the level of a 3-year-old — had been in the care of her grandmother, Virginia Lujan. Lujan, 55, was charged in February with child abuse and related offenses in connection with the teen’s death, prosecutors said.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office recently confirmed Granados' death was ruled a homicide, ABC15 reported.
The Tempe Police Department had been awaiting the medical examiner’s report before considering additional charges. However, Lujan died last month of natural causes while in custody at the Maricopa County Jail, ABC15 reported, citing a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
On Jan. 20, Lujan called 911 to report Granados was unresponsive inside their Tempe townhouse. Officers found the girl on the living room floor with extensive bruising. Lujan told investigators her granddaughter had fallen down the stairs, according to ABC15.
Granados died at a hospital the following day.
Investigators said their home was "filthy," with trash, insects and unsanitary conditions. They discovered a bunk bed that had been converted into a makeshift cage, with baby gates and rails zip-tied to the frame and human waste inside the enclosure, prosecutors said.
"While investigating, officers discovered a bunk bed that had been adapted into a makeshift enclosure where the victim was kept for extended periods of time, along with grossly unsanitary conditions throughout the home," the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said at the time.
Granados, who had epilepsy and severe cognitive impairments, was one of five children belonging to Lujan’s daughter, Jami Hodges. Hodges had previously transferred custody of four of her children to Lujan.
In February, Lujan was indicted on charges including child abuse, evidence tampering, and contributing to the dependency of a child, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Maricopa County Attorney's Office and Tempe Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office declined to comment.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Sophia Compton is a Writer at Fox News Digital. Sophia was previously a business reporter covering finance, energy and tourism and has experience as a TV news producer. She graduated with a journalism degree in 2021 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
