Police arrested an individual earlier this week in connection with the death of a beloved New Jersey kindergarten teacher. Thirty-three-year-old Luz Hernandez of Jersey City reportedly did not show up to work on Monday, which prompted a missing person's investigation. Police later found her body buried in a shallow grave and immediately began a homicide investigation.
The Jersey City Police Department uncovered "blood splatters" on the door of her apartment during a welfare check, according to NJ.com. Police obtained a search warrant from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. They found evidence at the scene that led them to Lafayette Park in Kearny, New Jersey, where investigators found Hernandez's body in a shallow grave. Officials pronounced her dead at 4:53 p.m. Tuesday, and a homicide investigation began.
It appears Hernandez died in a brutal death.
Prosecutors released results of Hernandez's autopsy on Thursday and concluded that she died of blunt force trauma and compressions to her neck, ABC 7 New York reported. The news outlet also reported that a suspect was arrested.
That person is believed to be the father of her three children, whom the New York Post has identified as her estranged husband, Junior Santana. Police arrested him in Florida on Thursday, charging him with desecration of human remains. He likely will face additional charges in New Jersey.
Authorities also are searching for another man believed to be involved in the case. Leiner Miranda Lopez, 26, who also is from Jersey City, faces the same charge of desecration of human remains, according to ABC 7 New York.
Hernandez was a teacher in Jersey City.
Her employer, BelovED Community Charter School, reported her missing on Monday when she did not come to work. Hernandez's family last saw her on Saturday when she and her kids went to a relative's house, according to NBC 4 New York.
Her children last saw her alive that day, as they went to be with their father on Sunday. "He went to the church with kids, like nothing happened," Yajaira Germosen, Hernandez's cousin, told the news outlet.
The community feels her absence.
BelovED Community Charter School closed on Wednesday out of respect for her and her family. Mourners created a makeshift memorial on the steps of her home to pay their condolences and to grieve. Candles, balloons, and posters covered the area, NBC 4 New York reported. One of her students, a 6-year-old girl, had tears in her eyes as she left a card that read, "I love you."
Her family is devastated.
Hernandez's relatives spoke with NBC New York and shared their grief.
"She was a really good mother. She was kind, oh my God," Germosen said. "She was a beautiful person. We are going to miss her so much. I cannot speak, it's unbelievable."
Jenny Taveras, Hernandez' sister, told NBC 4 New York in Spanish, "We can't live without her, I'll never fill this void."
Their heartbreak is palpable. Hernandez was clearly beloved by those around her. Coincidentally, she shared a now eerie message on Facebook in 2020, stating that her house was a safe zone for anyone who needed help.
Hernandez's family has set up a scholarship fund for her children.
A GoFundMe account for her children has raised more than $19,000 of a $50,000 goal. Contributors shared prayers and condolences with her loved ones.
"She was a passionate educator worked tirelessly to improve children educational abilities," the fundraising page reads.
"Ms Luz was my kids' teacher at Viaquenti years ago. We all loved her and are shocked and so sad to hear this news. We are praying for your family and her children. May she rest in peace," another donor wrote.
"No matter is important enough to leave a child without their mother. My best wishes to her family and children. May she rest in peace #walkaway #stopdomesticviolence," another person shared.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to reach out to the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to submit a tip online.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter (domesticshelters.org).
