12-Year-Old Charged in Death of Girl Struck by Metal Water Bottle at School
Arrest Made
A 12-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death of classmate Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, who sustained a fatal head injury from a metal water bottle.
Khmerberly Zavaleta Chuquipa’s family is contemplating legal action against the Los Angeles Unified School District for its failure to address ongoing bullying issues.
Khimerly’s family is evaluating potential legal action against the hospital that initially treated her following her tragic injury.
Briefing summary
A 12-year-old was arrested following the death of her classmate, Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, who suffered a head injury during an altercation in Los Angeles.
Khimberly was initially treated and discharged but later required emergency brain surgery. Her family is considering legal action against the hospital and the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Full reading: 12-year-old arrested over death of girl hit in head with metal water bottle at school | US News
A 12-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death of a classmate who was hit in the head with a metal water bottle.
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, also 12, was trying to protect her older sister from bullies at the time of the incident in Los Angeles.
She was taken to a nearby hospital where she was checked over and discharged.
But three days later, Khimberly was rushed to another hospital and placed in an induced coma to undergo emergency brain surgery to try and stop a haemorrhage.
Robert Glassman, a lawyer representing Khimberly’s family said: “This arrest is an important step toward accountability.
“But an arrest alone does not equal justice and does not answer the larger question of how this was allowed to happen in the first place.”
The family are considering whether to take legal action against the hospital that initially treated Khimberly.
They also want to hold the Los Angeles Unified School District accountable for failing to intervene long before the fatal attack took place in February.
It is claimed that both Khimberly and her sister Sharon had been bullied, harassed and physically attacked for months when at school.
Mr Glassman added: “The focus cannot stop with one student – there must be a hard look at what the adults in charge knew, when they knew it, and why meaningful action wasn’t taken sooner.”
The school district has declined to comment.