A grieving mother is suing the Los Angeles Unified School District alleging officials failed to stop repeated bullying before her 12-year-old daughter wasfatally struckduring a fight.
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died after she was hit in the head with a metal water bottle during anon-campus confrontationat Reseda Charter High School in February.
Her mother claims the attack was preventable.
In an interview with theLos Angeles Times, she said she had raised concerns about bullying before the incident—warnings she believes were ignored as tensions escalated.
“The school has a lot to answer for, because, well, they did nothing,” her mother, Elma Chuquipa Sanchez, said.
“Every single day, I would head to the school, and I was there making a fuss about ongoing bullying.
The suit alleges the district did not take adequate steps to protect her daughter despite those complaints, putting responsibility on the school district for failing to intervene before the situation turned violent.
Khimberly had stepped in during a dispute involving her older sister when she was struck. Her sister—Sharon—told the outlet she’s plagued by guilt.
“I blame myself,” she said. “If she hadn’t gotten involved, she’d be here with me.”
The 12-year-old was initially treated and released, but her condition worsened in the following days. She was hospitalized, underwent emergency brain surgery, and died just days later.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
