A Maricopa County grandmother, Virginia Lujan, has been indicted for the “horrific” abuse of her 13-year-old granddaughter.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Tempe Police responded to a 9-1-1 call from Lujan, reporting that her granddaughter was unresponsive. When officers arrived, they found the victim lying on the living room floor. The officers noted that the victim had marks and bruising on multiple parts of her body. The victim was transported to a hospital, where she ultimately died.
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 victim suffered from a rare form of epilepsy and had cognitive impairments, functioning at the level of a 3-year-old.
Lujan was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of Child Abuse, a Class Four Felony, two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class Six Felony, one count of Tampering with a Witness, a Class Six Felony, three counts of Contributing to the Dependency of a Child, a Class One Misdemeanor.
Lujan is currently being held on a $500,000 secured appearance bond.