Luz Hernandez Death, Obituary – Prosecutors in New Jersey determined on Thursday that the death of a kindergarten teacher who had been reported missing and whose body was found in a shallow grave on Tuesday was a homicide. On Monday, it was reported that Luz Hernandez, age 33, was missing. Esther Suarez, the prosecutor for Hudson County in New Jersey, confirmed on Friday that a man has been taken into custody in connection with her death and that a warrant has been issued for the arrest of another man.
On Tuesday, authorities unearthed her body after it had been buried in Kearny, New Jersey, just a few miles from her home in Jersey City. Suarez stated in a news release that the results of an autopsy performed on Thursday by the office of the medical examiner found that Hernandez died as a result of blows to the head in addition to being strangled.
According to the information provided by Suarez’s office, Cesar Santana, age 36, and Leiner Miranda Lopez, age 26, both of Jersey City, have been charged with one count of desecrating and concealing human remains respectively. Santana was taken into custody early on Friday morning in Miami, Florida, while he was staying at a motel. Until his extradition to New Jersey can take place, he is being held in custody in Florida.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office was asked to be contacted by anyone who may have information about Lopez by the authorities. Hernandez, the mother of three children, was reported missing on Monday after she failed to report to work the previous day. Opez and Santana were detained by police in Kearny the day before Hernandez was reported missing, according to Suarez’s office. Hernandez was reported missing on Monday. Officials in the city in New Jersey found that the vehicle was not registered and impounded it as a result. Kindergarten was Hernandez’s specialty at Jersey City’s BelovED Community Charter School, where she worked.
Wednesday’s scheduled classes were not held after the tragic news of her passing was received. In an interview with USA TODAY, Bret Schundler, who serves as a consultant to the school’s board of directors and leadership, said: Before Hernandez was promoted to the position of lead teacher at the school in 2017, he worked there initially as a teacher’s assistant. She “did a wonderful job” and “loved the kids,” as the saying goes.