Police are investigating the death of a 12-year-old student from the Reseda area after her family said she suffered a serious head injury at school when another student threw a metal water bottle that struck her in a hallway.
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died early Wed., Feb. 25, after days in the hospital that included emergency brain surgery and time in a coma, her family said. The Los Angeles Police Department said it has opened a homicide investigation, while the Los Angeles Unified School District said it is cooperating with law enforcement but cannot share details because the case involves juveniles.
Relatives said the injury happened in mid-February on the campus of Reseda Charter High School in the San Fernando Valley, a school that serves students in grades six through 12. Her mother, Elma Chuquipa, said Khimberly had been trying to protect her sister during what the family described as a bullying incident. In the family’s account, the younger student was hit in the head when another child threw a metal bottle in a hallway, and she soon complained of pain. Her relatives said she developed worsening symptoms over the next several days, including a severe headache, and was taken for medical care more than once as her condition changed.
Family members said Khimberly was initially evaluated and sent home, but later collapsed after suffering a brain hemorrhage. She was rushed back to a hospital, where doctors discovered significant bleeding in her brain, relatives said. The family said she was then transferred to a UCLA children’s hospital for specialized treatment and underwent emergency surgery. Doctors placed her in an induced coma, relatives said, as loved ones waited for signs of improvement. A family fundraiser said major blood vessels in her brain ruptured and that she died about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday after extensive efforts to save her. Authorities have not publicly released a detailed medical timeline, and police have not said what medical findings they are relying on as they review the case.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that it is investigating the death as a homicide and said the case is being handled by detectives assigned to the Robbery-Homicide Division and the department’s Valley Bureau. Police have not announced any arrests, and they have not described the evidence they have gathered. Investigators have also not said whether the water bottle strike and the girl’s death have been formally linked by medical findings, though the family and several classmates have said they believe the injury set off the chain of events that led to her death. Police said they are limiting what they release publicly because the investigation involves juveniles, and they have not identified any suspect or explained whether school staff have been interviewed.
Los Angeles Unified said it was “deeply saddened” by the death of a student from the Reseda school community and said its thoughts were with the child’s family, friends and classmates. The district said it takes student safety seriously and is cooperating with law enforcement. School officials have not addressed questions publicly about supervision, discipline or whether prior conflicts had been reported, and they have not said whether any staff actions are under internal review. The district said it has made counseling and additional support available on campus for students and employees affected by the death, but it did not describe how long extra services would remain in place.
Outside the campus, students and neighbors built a growing memorial of candles, flowers and handwritten messages near the school’s entrance. On Friday, classmates gathered for a protest calling for justice, with some students saying they felt the response from administrators had been too quiet. Dayari Diaz, a friend, said the group wanted answers and described Khimberly as someone who lifted the mood around her. “We’re all sad,” Diaz said, adding that Khimberly “was always happy” and was known for smiling. The protest drew attention from passing drivers and nearby residents in the West Valley, where parents and students said they were shaken by the speed with which a school dispute became a life-and-death crisis.
Khimberly’s family described her as the youngest child in the household and said she was close to her siblings. Relatives said she loved music and volleyball and enjoyed spending time with the family’s dogs. Her uncle, Guy Gazit, said the loss had been overwhelming for relatives who now face funeral plans and questions they do not believe have been answered. “It’s a big loss for us,” Gazit said. Family members said they want accountability, and they have pressed for a clearer explanation of what happened before and after the hallway incident, including what adults at the school knew, when they knew it and what steps were taken.
Any criminal case connected to a student suspect would likely move through the juvenile court system, where proceedings and filings are often sealed and names are typically not released. Police have not said whether they have presented a case to prosecutors or requested charges, and the district attorney’s office has not publicly discussed the matter. Investigators have not said whether surveillance video exists from the hallway where the family says the bottle was thrown, or whether other students’ phone videos are being reviewed. Officials also have not said when a medical examiner’s final report will be completed or whether it will be released publicly.
By Saturday, the investigation remained active, and the school community continued holding vigils and gathering at the memorial while classes carried on. Police and school officials said they were not releasing further details because the case involves minors, leaving the next major public milestone as any announcement of arrests or court filings.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 28, 2026.