Medical Emergency Declared: Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa Remains in Critical Condition Following School Assault, Family Devastatedβ¦
A 12-year-old girl died after what her family says began as a bullying incident inside a Los Angeles school.
Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died Feb. 25 following brain surgery related to an incident in which she was allegedly struck in the head with a metal water bottle by another student,Β according to KTLA.
Her family said she experienced severe headaches in the days after the incident and was initially sent home from the emergency room,Β reports Fox 11. She later collapsed due to a brain hemorrhage and was hospitalized.
βMajor blood vessels in her brain ruptured, and she was rushed to UCLA Childrenβs hospital, placed in an induced coma, and underwent complex emergency brain surgery,βΒ a GoFundMe page stated. βHer family remained by her side, praying and hoping she would come home, but at 3:30 a.m., her heart gave out.β
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide.
βAs the baby of our family, she brought a special light and joy into our lives,β her familyΒ wrote on the GoFundMe page. βShe loved her family, music, volleyball, walks with her two beloved dogs, and had many dreams for the future.β
Chuquipaβs mother, Elma,Β told NBC 4 Los Angeles, βIβm devastated. Iβm full of pain, thinking about how I will never see my daughter again.β
