US News
Death of Arizona teen kept in makeshift cage by grandma called a ‘homicide’
By Jared Downing
Published Oct. 3, 2025, 12:43 p.m. ET
An Arizona grandma kept her mentally impaired granddaughter locked in a poop-filled cage until the girl, covered in wounds, died — and now officials have ruled the death a homicide, cops said.
The 13-year-old’s grandmother, Virginia Lujan, was indicted for child abuse in January for allegedly locking the girl in a “makeshift cage” and savagely beating her to keep her in line, leaving her with sores and bruises across her body, according to officials in Tempe.
The girl, Melony Granados, had the mental capacity of a 3-year-old, and investigators ruled her death a homicide last month after examining her body and horrifying living conditions, ABC 15 reported.
An image of the makeshift cage Lujan allegedly kept her daughter in.
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The makeshift cage Lujan allegedly kept her granddaughter in.
ABC15
The grandmother — who died in jail last month — had locked the girl in a “makeshift cage … which was full of feces and had a foul odor,” cops said.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/03/us-news/death-of-arizona-teen-grandma-kept-in-feces-covered-cage-ruled-a-homicide/
