A 12-year-old Los Angeles girl died after a classmate allegedly hurled a metal water bottle that struck her head during a hallway confrontation at Reseda High School.
Khimberly Zavaleta was hit while stepping in to defend her sister from alleged bullying during dismissal on February 17, according to her family.
The confrontation unfolded in a school hallway where students had gathered near the end of the day.
Family members say Khimberly tried to protect her sister as tensions escalated among several students.
“At dismissal time, she was in the school hallway,” her mother Elma Chuquipa told a local outlet.
“A tall boy came up to her… he was pushing her, and my daughter told him, ‘What’s your problem with me? Let’s go to the principal’s office and talk about it.’”
Chuquipa said her daughter attempted to remove her younger sister from the situation.
“My daughter goes and pulls her away, so they don’t hit her sister, and that’s when [Khimberly] gets hit in the head,” she said.
Other students recorded video of the confrontation.
Chuquipa said the footage circulating among students does not clearly capture the exact moment when the metal water bottle was thrown.
Khimberly was taken to the emergency room the same day and later released.
Doctors initially treated the injury and allowed her to return home.
Days later the situation took a tragic turn.
Ten days after the hallway altercation, Khimberly collapsed after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
Her mother described the terrifying moment when the girl was rushed back to the hospital.
“We took her to the emergency room, where she arrived with no vitals,” Chuquipa said. “They tore her clothes, they gave her CPR. I was very scared. I cried a lot. I had this hope that she would get up from where she was.”
Doctors transferred Khimberly to UCLA’s Children’s Hospital where specialists began emergency treatment.
Physicians placed the girl into an induced coma and prepared for immediate brain surgery.
“The doctor said, ‘We’re going to have to perform surgery… it’s a six-hour surgery,’” Chuquipa recalled. “I told the doctor, ‘Save my daughter.’”
The operation lasted hours as doctors attempted to stabilize the bleeding inside her brain.
🚨 VENEZUELAN DICTATOR NICOLAS MADURO IN U.S. CUSTODY 🚨 Do you AGREE Trump made America STRONG again??? ➡️➡️➡️ TAKE THE FREEDOM POLL NOW and stand with President Trump!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
At one point physicians discussed performing another procedure.
Family members were warned that the odds of survival were extremely low.
Doctors later determined Khimberly’s brain was no longer functioning.
Her family remained at the hospital as machines kept her alive during the final hours.
Khimberly died early Thursday morning after going into heart failure, her uncle Guy Gazit wrote in a Facebook post.
The Los Angeles Police Department has opened a homicide investigation into the student’s death.
Officials say the case involves juveniles and further details will not be released at this stage.
Authorities are still working to determine whether the initial water bottle strike directly caused the hemorrhage that led to Khimberly’s death.
Medical findings will play a central role in the investigation.
The tragedy has sparked anger among students and parents in the community.
Khimberly’s friend Dayari Diaz helped organize a protest outside Reseda High School with the help of her mother.
Students gathered to remember the girl and call for accountability.
“We’re all sad. Because she was the one who gave all the energy to us, because she was so happy. She was always happy. She was always smiling,” Diaz said.
“We want justice for her. The school is not doing anything.”
The grieving mother said the loss has shattered her family and left her fearful for her remaining child.
“I already lost one daughter, and I don’t want to lose her too,” Chuquipa said.
School officials issued a public statement following the student’s death.
“The Los Angeles Unified School District is deeply saddened by the death of a Reseda High School student,” the district said.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the student’s family, friends, and the entire school community.”
“Out of respect for the family and to protect confidentiality, we cannot share details.”
“The 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 fatal case arrives amid growing concerns about threats tied to bullying in schools across the country.
Authorities in Florida arrested a 12-year-old girl last month after investigators discovered a detailed online manifesto describing a plan to carry out a mass shooting at Southwestern Middle School in DeLand.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said deputies received a tip about the plan and moved quickly to identify the student responsible.
Investigators traced the online posting to a student at the school.
Deputies arrested the girl on charges of making written threats to kill and misuse of a two-way communications device.
The arrest affidavit described a disturbing plan that outlined arrival times, locations, and a timeline for the attack.
The plan also named a teacher who had given the student a failing grade.
Investigators interviewed the teacher and confirmed the suspect had received an F on a recent test.
Detectives also spoke with another student referenced in the plan who recalled the suspect making fun of classmates.
The investigation expanded after officers interviewed a boy who was mentioned as someone expected to assist with the attack.
The student admitted the suspect had discussed the plan with him.
Detectives confronted the suspect during questioning.
The girl first denied involvement but later admitted writing the plan and posting it online.
Deputies arrested the student around 1:30 a.m. and transported her to the Volusia Family Resource Center.
