A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles Unified School District following the death of 12-year-old Khimberly Zavaleta, who died in February after what her family describes as a violent bullying incident at Reseda Charter High School in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.
The lawsuit, filed Monday, alleges that school administrators failed to address repeated reports of bullying, ultimately leading to the girl’s death. According to the family’s attorney, Robert Glassman of Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP, the same group of students had been involved in bullying other students and had attacked another girl in the weeks before the incident involving Khimberly.
Elma Chuquipa Sanchez, Khimberly’s mother, stated that she had repeatedly visited the school to report ongoing bullying affecting both of her daughters. Despite her efforts to alert administrators, she claims no meaningful action was taken to address the situation.
The fatal incident occurred on February 19 during dismissal time at the school. According to family accounts, Khimberly was in the school hallway when a confrontation began with another student. When the situation escalated and her sister was being attacked, Khimberly attempted to intervene and was struck in the head with what the family describes as a metal water bottle.
Following the attack, Khimberly was initially taken to a hospital and then sent home. Later that day, while playing video games, she experienced what the family described as a catastrophic medical emergency. An uncle later clarified that she suffered a stroke after experiencing lingering headaches. Major blood vessels in her brain ruptured, requiring emergency transport to UCLA Children’s Hospital, where she was placed in an induced coma and underwent complex emergency brain surgery.
On February 20, at approximately 3:30 a.m., Khimberly died with her family at her bedside. The family reported that her heart gave out despite medical intervention.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Bureau Section, is investigating the case. Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation and the involvement of juveniles, law enforcement has released limited information. Earlier this month, a 12-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Khimberly’s death, though no formal charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
The family had previously filed a wrongful death claim in March, a precursor to the current lawsuit. The claim alleges that the family’s children had been bullied and harassed on campus multiple times before the fatal incident. According to Glassman, video footage of both the earlier attack on another student and the incident involving Khimberly and her sister was posted on social media.
Chuquipa Sanchez expressed frustration that action was only taken after her daughter’s death, noting that the alleged bullies continued attending school while her daughters suffered consequences. She stated that one daughter had to change schools while the family buried the other.
The family had moved to Los Angeles from Peru approximately five years ago, seeking better opportunities. Khimberly had aspirations of becoming a doctor. The Los Angeles Unified School District has not commented on the pending litigation.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about school bullying and institutional responses to reports of harassment. The family’s attorney emphasized that the earlier bullying incident had been documented and shared on social media with the caption “Happy Tuesday,” suggesting a pattern of behavior that went unaddressed.
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