Arizona Teen with Special Needs Dies After Alleged Abuse and Confinement in Makeshift Cage

Grandmother and mother face child abuse charges as police uncover deplorable living conditions and ongoing mistreatment.

Virginia Lujan, 55, was arrested and charged with child abuse following the death of her 13-year-old granddaughter in Tempe, Arizona.
The teenager, who had the mental capacity of a 3-year-old, was reportedly kept in a feces-filled makeshift cage as a form of 'discipline.'
The girl was found unresponsive, covered in bruises and sores in various stages of healing, and later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police described the home as disorderly and unhygienic, with four other children, aged 2 to 15, removed by child protective services.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed as authorities uncover more evidence.