Arizona teen's death ruled homicide after being kept in cage
Maricopa County authorities say 13-year-old Melony Granados—who had severe epilepsy and cognitive impairments—was confined in a makeshift enclosure at her grandmother Virginia Lujan’s Tempe townhouse and has now been ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner. Lujan was indicted in February 2025 on child-abuse-related counts; she died in custody in September 2025 while the Tempe Police Department and county prosecutors awaited the medical-examiner report that has now been issued.
Crime
Legal
📌 Key Facts
- Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office recently ruled Melony Granados' death a homicide.
- Virginia Lujan (55) had been indicted in February 2025 on charges including child abuse, evidence tampering, and contributing to the dependency of a child; she died in custody in September 2025.
- Investigators say officers found Granados unresponsive after a Jan. 20, 2025 911 call and discovered a converted bunk-bed 'makeshift cage,' extensive bruising, and filthy, unsanitary conditions in the home.