A 12-year-old has tragically passed away following an alleged school bullying incident — leading police to open up a homicide investigation.
On Friday, Elma Chuquipa claimed to KTLA that her daughter, Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa, was attacked in the hallway of Reseda High by another 12-year-old girl who threw a metal water bottle at her head this month. Khimberly was taken to the emergency room for her injuries afterward. However, the family said she was sent home.
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Days later, Khimberly suffered from a headache, collapsed, and was taken to the hospital for a hemorrhage. She ended up in a coma and underwent brain surgery, but she didn’t make it. She died on Wednesday morning. A GoFundMe page set up for the family said:
“Major blood vessels in her brain ruptured, and she was rushed to UCLA Children’s hospital, placed in an induced coma, and underwent complex emergency brain surgery. Her family remained by her side, praying and hoping she would come home, but at 3:30 a.m., her heart gave out.”
Just awful. She was so young.
KTLA reported that the Los Angeles Police Department is now investigating the girl’s death as a homicide. Law enforcement has not released any other details about the investigation at this time. Elma told NBC 4 Los Angeles she is “devastated” over the loss of her daughter, adding:
“I’m full of pain, thinking about how I will never see my daughter again.”
We can only imagine the pain she’s experiencing right now. Khimberly’s uncle, Guy Gazit, expressed to Fox 11 how this is a “big loss” for the family:
“It’s a cautionary tale that this should not happen to anybody’s kid. Its a fear of every parent, every uncle and every brother and every loved one to lose someone, but especially when it is someone who is so young that did nothing wrong to anybody.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) told KTLA that the organization “is deeply saddened by the death of a Reseda High School student.” They continued:
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the student’s family, friends, and the entire school community. Out of respect for the family and to protect confidentiality, we cannot share details. The District remains committed to providing support to students, staff, and families affected by this loss, including counseling services and additional resources on campus. 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.”
This is absolutely heartbreaking. We send our condolences to the family. May Khimberly rest in peace.
[Image via GoFundMe]
The post 12-Year-Old Girl Dies Days After Family Claims Bully Threw Metal Water Bottle At Her Head -- Police Investigating As Homicide appeared first on Perez Hilton.