The 12-year-old spent days in a coma after suffering a brain injury, relatives said.
RESEDA, Calif. — A 12-year-old student died after what her family described as a bullying incident at a Reseda school campus in Los Angeles, and police have opened a homicide investigation as they work to determine whether the injury was the result of a criminal act.
The death has stunned students and parents and prompted renewed scrutiny of how schools handle conflicts between children. Relatives said the girl suffered a traumatic brain injury after being hit by a thrown metal water bottle, later undergoing emergency surgery and remaining in a coma before she died. School officials said they are offering counseling and other support services as investigators review the incident.
The girl was identified by her family as Khimberly Zavaleta. Relatives said she was a sixth-grader and that the injury happened Feb. 15 on a campus in the Reseda area. Family members said a student threw a metal water bottle that struck Khimberly in the head during an encounter they described as bullying. They said she had stepped in during a confrontation involving her sister. In the hours and days that followed, relatives said, she complained of intense headaches and struggled as her condition worsened. Her mother, Elma Chuquipa, said she is living with overwhelming grief after losing her daughter, describing the loss as a pain she cannot escape.
Relatives said the medical crisis escalated quickly. They said Khimberly later collapsed and doctors found bleeding in her brain. She was taken to a children’s hospital for specialized care, placed in an induced coma and taken into surgery. Despite treatment, she died Feb. 25, roughly 10 days after the injury, her family said. Officials have not publicly released detailed medical findings, and investigators have not said whether they have reached conclusions about the exact mechanism of injury beyond the family’s description. Police have also not disclosed whether any surveillance video captured the moment she was struck.
Los Angeles police confirmed the case is being investigated by homicide detectives. In such cases, investigators typically gather school records, medical records, witness interviews and physical evidence to determine whether the death was caused by an intentional act, reckless behavior or an accident. Police have not identified any suspect by name, and it was not clear whether the student alleged to have thrown the bottle has been questioned in the presence of a parent or guardian. Authorities also did not say whether the incident happened during passing period, lunch, or another time when student movement can make supervision difficult.
The school community responded with visible mourning. A memorial appeared outside Reseda High School, with candles, flowers and notes left by friends, classmates and neighbors. Some messages described Khimberly as caring and protective, echoing family accounts about her involvement in the confrontation. Students at the campus and nearby families said the death spread fear and sadness, and some parents said they wanted to understand what safety steps were in place and what changes might follow. District officials offered condolences and said support teams were available for students and staff affected by the death.
The case has also highlighted the blurred line between discipline and criminal investigation when a serious injury involves children. If prosecutors decide charges are warranted, the case could proceed through juvenile court, where many records and hearings are not public and names of minors are often withheld. Even without charges, schools can impose discipline under district rules, though officials have not publicly described any actions taken with students involved. Investigators have not said when they expect to complete the initial phase of evidence collection, and there has been no announced date for a public police briefing.
Family members said they want answers about what led up to the incident and whether there were earlier signs of conflict. They described the event as bullying but officials have not released details about any prior reports, earlier fights, or complaints made to staff. Those questions often become central after a student death because they can shape both the criminal investigation and any later reviews of school policy. At the memorial, community members said they were shaken by the idea that a common object could be used in a moment of anger with such devastating consequences, and they described the campus as quieter than usual as students tried to process the loss.
Police have not announced an arrest or named a suspect, and officials have not released a detailed public account of what happened in the hallway. The next milestone is expected to come when detectives complete interviews and evidence review and decide whether to present the case to prosecutors, a step that could be announced in the coming days or weeks depending on the investigation.
Author note: Last updated March 1, 2026.