Disturbing video has surfaced showing the chaotic confrontation that preceded the death of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly struck in the head with a metal water bottle while trying to protect her younger sister from bullies at school.
The footage, recently obtained by local media, shows a group of students arguing and pushing in a hallway at Reseda Charter High School moments before the violent incident that would leave sixth-grader Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa with a fatal head injury.
Chuquipa stepped in to defend her sister during the confrontation on Feb. 17 after tensions flared among several students, according to the girl’s family and attorneys.
That’s when another student allegedly hurled a metal water bottle that struck the 12-year-old in the head.
At first, the injury didn’t appear life-threatening. Chuquipa was taken to a hospital for evaluation and later released, relatives said.
But days later, the young girl suddenly collapsed at home and was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors discovered a devastating brain hemorrhage. She later died from the injury.
Her death has since triggered a homicide investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The newly surfaced video is now a central piece of a legal claim filed by the girl’s family against the Los Angeles Unified School District, accusing officials of failing to stop ongoing bullying before the tragedy unfolded.
Attorney Robert Glassman of Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP said the footage underscores what he believes was a dangerous environment that school administrators failed to control.
The family alleges school officials were aware of bullying problems involving students tied to the incident but did not intervene effectively.
Chuquipa’s grieving parents described their daughter as a kindhearted child who loved singing and dancing and often stood up for others, a trait they say ultimately put her in harm’s way that day.
The shocking case has shaken the San Fernando Valley community, where classmates and neighbors have created makeshift memorials with flowers, candles and handwritten notes near the school.
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Police have not publicly identified the student suspected of throwing the bottle as the investigation continues. Meanwhile, the girl’s family says they are determined to seek answers, and accountability for the loss of a child they say was simply trying to protect her little sister.
A spokesperson for the LAUSD told The California Post that the district would not comment on pending or ongoing litigation.
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