A grand jury has indicted a 55-year-old woman accused of mistreating her granddaughter who was found covered in bruises and sores at a Tempe home where police officers also discovered a makeshift cage where they said the teen girl was kept.

Virginia Lujan, 55, was held on $500,000 secured appearance bond after being indicted on two counts of child abuse, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, one count of tampering with a witness and three counts of contributing to the dependency of a child, according to a Maricopa County Attorney’s Office release.

 On Jan. 21, Tempe police responded to a call from Lujan, reporting that her granddaughter was unresponsive.

When officers arrived at the home, they found the victim lying on the living room floor. The officers noted that the victim had marks and bruises. The victim was transported to a hospital where she 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 MCAO release stated, calling the matter a “horrific case of mistreatment.”

The victim suffered from a rare form of epilepsy and had cognitive impairments, functioning at the level of a 3-year-old.

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