Girl, 12, Dies 10 Days After Bully Allegedly Threw a Water Bottle at Her Head

Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died on Feb. 25, after she underwent brain surgery

 

Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died on Feb. 25, after she underwent brain surgery

Khimberly 12-year-old Reseda girl dead after bully threw water bottle at her head, family says
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa.

Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died in the hospital on Wednesday, Feb. 25, after she underwent brain surgery tied to an incident that took place 10 days earlier, when she was allegedly hit in the head with a metal water bottle by another student in a hallway, NBC 4 Los Angeles, KTLA and Fox 11 reported.

Chuquipa’s family claims the preteen suffered severe headaches in the days after the incident, but was sent home when taken to the emergency room. Days later, the 6th grader returned to the hospital after collapsing due to a brain hemorrhage, the outlets reported.

“Major blood vessels in her brain ruptured, and she was rushed to UCLA Children’s hospital, placed in an induced coma, and underwent complex emergency brain surgery,” a GoFundMe page set up following Chuquipa’s death said. “Her family remained by her side, praying and hoping she would come home, but at 3:30 a.m., her heart gave out.”

Khimberly 12-year-old Reseda girl dead after bully threw water bottle at her head, family says
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa.gofundme

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The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating Chuquipa’s death as a homicide, according to KTLA. Authorities have not released any other details surrounding the investigation at this time.

On the GoFundMe, Chuquipa’s loved ones wrote, “As the baby of our family, she brought a special light and joy into our lives.”

“She loved her family, music, volleyball, walks with her two beloved dogs, and had many dreams for the future,” the fundraising page added.

“It’s a cautionary tale that this should not happen to anybody’s kid,” Chuquipa’s uncle, Guy Gazit, told Fox. 11. “Its a fear of every parent, every uncle and every brother and every loved one to lose someone, but especially when it is someone who is so young that did nothing wrong to anybody.”

The 12-year-old was a student at Reseda High, a charter school that educates students from grades six through 12. A memorial has been set up outside the school, where many have since gathered.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) said, per KTLA, that the organization “is deeply saddened by the death of a Reseda High School student.”

Reseda High School
Reseda High School in Los Angeles.Google Maps

“Our thoughts and condolences are with the student’s family, friends, and the entire school community,” the statement continued.

Added the spokesperson: “Out of respect for the family and to protect confidentiality, we cannot share details.”

The LAUSD statement also said that the school district “remains committed to providing support to students, staff, and families affected by this loss, including counseling services and additional resources on campus.”

“The District takes the safety and well-being of our students very seriously. We are currently cooperating with law enforcement in connection with this incident,” the statement concluded.

The LAPD and the LAUSD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Family of 12-year-old Khimberly Zavaletta to sue LAUSD after fatal bullying incident

The family of a 12-year-old girl who died following a campus confrontation at Reseda Charter High School plans to file a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging a failure to protect her from repeated bullying.

story:

According to the family, Khimberly Zavaletta intervened to defend her sister from a group of students on February 17.

During the altercation, the family alleges Zavaletta was struck in the head with a metal water bottle.

She was subsequently transported to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, where she underwent brain surgery and was placed in a medically-induced coma before passing away shortly after.

Family to file claim against LAUSD following teen's bullying death

Family to file claim against LAUSD following teen’s bullying death

The parents of a 12-year-old girl who they say died due to bullying at school announced plans to file a legal claim against LAUSD.

What we don’t know:

The exact cause of Zavaletta’s death remains unconfirmed.

Both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner stated that a determination has not yet been made.

The medical examiner has requested additional tests, and the official cause of death is currently listed as deferred.

What they’re saying:

At a vigil held last month, Zavaletta’s uncle shared the family’s grief.

“If there’s a cautionary tale here is that this should not happen to anybody’s kid. It’s the fear of every parent and every uncle and every brother and every every loved one to lose someone. But especially when it’s somebody so young that did nothing wrong to anybody,” he said.

In response to previous inquiries, the LAUSD stated, “The safety and well-being of our students is taken very seriously. We are cooperating with law enforcement in connection with this incident.”

The district has not yet commented specifically on the new lawsuit.

Teen's bullying death being investigated as a homicide

Teen’s bullying death being investigated as a homicide

A 6th grade student at a Reseda middle school died days after being hit in the head with a metal water bottle. The case, which her parents say is related to bullying, is now being investigated as a homicide.

What’s next:

Attorneys for the Zavaletta family are scheduled to officially announce the lawsuit against the school district on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the community awaits the results of the medical examiner’s additional testing to determine if the head injury was the definitive cause of death.