A juvenile has been arrested in the case of a 12-year-old Reseda girl who died after being hit in the head with a metal water bottle during an alleged bullying incident at Reseda Charter High School, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The suspect, whose age and sex have not been revealed, was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, according to a department spokesperson.
Khimberly was injured on campus by another 12-year-old student when she tried to intervene and defend her older sister, Sharon, from bullies on Feb. 17, according to her family. In the fight that followed, she was hit on the head with a metal water bottle, causing serious injuries.
Khimberly was taken to Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys immediately after the incident, evaluated and then sent home. Three days later, he suffered a “catastrophic medical emergency” and underwent brain surgery at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, family members said.
She was placed in a medically induced coma and died on February 25. Los Angeles police are investigating the incident as a homicide.
“As the baby of our family, she brought a special light and joy to our lives,” her family wrote in a GoFundMe page established to help pay for medical and funeral expenses. “He loved his family, music, volleyball, walks with his two beloved dogs and had many dreams for the future.”
Last month, her family took legal action against the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging that school officials failed to investigate reports of bullying, adequately monitor student interactions, or implement effective safety measures.
At a news conference announcing the legal claim, Khimberly's mother, Elma Chuquipa Sánchez, said her daughter wanted to be a doctor when she grew up.
“She always told me she would take care of me,” Sánchez said, wiping away tears.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, Khimberly's family alleged that the district failed to take action after Sanchez reported that her two daughters were repeated victims of harassment on campus. Robert Glassman, an attorney representing the family, said the same group of students had bullied other children and attacked another student in the weeks before the water bottle incident.
The district referred a request for comment on the arrest to the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday. A spokesperson previously said the district does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Times staff writers Stacy Perman and Ruben Vives contributed to this report.
