A 12-year-old child has been arrested following the death of a schoolgirl who was struck with a metal water bottle in Los Angeles. Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, 12, died on February 25 after being hit with the flask while trying to protect her older sister from bullying at Reseda Charter High School.
The incident occurred on February 17. Khimberly was initially discharged from hospital but later rushed back for emergency brain surgery while in an induced coma. Despite life support, she was declared dead days later.
The Los Angeles Police Department made the arrest after an inquiry, CBS reported. The family's lawyer, Robert Glassman, said: 'This arrest is an important step toward accountability, but it does not change the bigger truth: this tragedy was entirely preventable.'
Khimberly's mother, Elma, said she felt 'very bad, destroyed'. She added: 'It's not easy to lose a child. It's not easy to see your child dying in a bed.' A fundraiser for the family raised nearly $150,000 before being taken down.
The family is considering a lawsuit against the hospital that treated Khimberly and the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging failure to act on prior bullying. Both Khimberly and her sister Sharon were reportedly bullied for several months.
A school district spokesperson said it was 'deeply saddened' and that '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.'
