A 12-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death of a classmate who was struck in the head with a metal water bottle during an alleged bullying incident at a Los Angeles school, authorities said.
The suspect, whose age and gender have not been released, was taken into custody on Thursday on suspicion of murder, according to Los Angeles Police Officer Charles Miller. The arrest relates to the death of 12-year-old Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa on February 25.
Khimberly was hit in the head on February 17 while trying to help her older sister, who was being bullied by a group of students at Reseda Charter High School, which also serves middle school pupils. She was taken to hospital, evaluated and released the same day, but three days later she was rushed to another hospital, placed in an induced coma and underwent emergency brain surgery. She died on February 25.
The family’s attorney, Robert Glassman, said the arrest was an important step toward accountability but stressed that an arrest alone does not equal justice. He called for scrutiny of what the adults in charge knew and why meaningful action was not taken sooner.
The Los Angeles Unified School District said it does not comment on pending litigation. The family has filed a wrongful-death claim against the district, alleging that the sisters had been bullied for months and that school officials failed to intervene.
