What happened to Luz Hernandez? Arrest made after missing kindergarten teacher is found dead

The New Jersey Police Department has recently arrested a potential suspect in the case of Luz Hernandez, a missing kindergarten teacher whose body was found buried in a shallow grave. As per ABC7 New York, the authorities have not revealed any other information about the person arrested or their link to the now-deceased kindergarten teacher.

The news of the arrest comes after authorities with the Jersey City Police Department did a welfare check at Luz Hernandez's residence on Tuesday after she failed to show up to work at BelovED Charter School on February 6, 2023.

On Thursday, February 9, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office released a statement revealing that Luz Hernandez's body was found three miles away from her residence. She was buried in a seemingly shallow grave in the area of Central Avenue and Third Street in Kearny.

"The body of a female – later identified as Luz Hernandez, 33, of Jersey City – was recovered a short time later and she was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:53 p.m. Hernandez was reported missing on Monday, February 6, 2023."

A statement released on the official page of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office also stated that Hernandez "died of blunt force trauma to the head and compressions to the neck."

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Luz Hernandez had been missing since February 4, 2023

As per news outlet NJ, the 33-year-old mother-of-three was believed to have been missing since February 4, 2023. However, now that they have found her body, police are currently investigating Luz Hernandez's death and have marked it as "suspicious."

In addition, before the authorities found Hernandez's body, they found "blood splatters" in her residence near Lafayette Park. According to NJ, Jersey City police sealed the crime scene and requested assistance from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. Officers also revealed that the findings from Hernandez's home led them to a barren area where her body was found.

While speaking to CBS, the deceased's brother, Christino Hernandez, shared that Luz had become a teacher because she liked being around kids:

“She was always happy. She loved kids. She became a teacher because she loved being around kids.”

As per NBC New York, Hernandez's family was "heartbroken" by the news of her demise. Her sister, Jenny Taveras, stated that she wants justice for Luz, adding:

"We can't live without her, I'll never fill this void."

Her cousin Yajaira Germosen said:

"She was a really good mother. She was kind, oh my God. She was a beautiful person. We are going to miss her so much. I can not speak, it's unbelievable."

The founder of the school she worked at, Bret Schunder, told NJ that the institution would host a tribute for Hernandez in the coming days.