A 13-year-old girl was found dead in Arizona after her grandmother called 911 to report that she was not breathing. The girl was covered in bruises and sores, and authorities have arrested both the grandmother and the girl's mother on felony child abuse charges.
Officers responded to the residence of 55-year-old Virginia Lujan after receiving a 911 call reporting that her 13-year-old granddaughter was not breathing. The girl, who was also covered in bruises and sores, was immediately transported to the hospital but was pronounced dead hours later Wednesday morning, according to police.
Lujan stated to investigators that she was temporarily caring for the 13-year-old and four other children for her daughter, the children's mother, 33-year-old Jami Hodges. During the investigation, Lujan revealed that the 13-year-old girl had a cognitive delay and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. She also mentioned that the girl had fallen down some stairs on Sunday but chose not to seek medical attention, believing she would recover. A search warrant executed at the residence uncovered a makeshift cage containing feces and emitting a foul odor, as reported by Telemundo Arizona. Police Chief Kenneth McCoy expressed his profound sorrow at the tragic loss of a child, emphasizing, 'No child should ever have to endure suffering.' He added, '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 subsequently arrested and are facing felony child abuse charges. Information regarding their legal representation was not immediately available. The four other children, aged between 2 and 15 years old, have been placed under the care of the Department of Child Safety, officials confirmed
CHILD ABUSE GRANDMOTHER MOTHER ARREST DEATH ARIZONA
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