12-Year-Old Dies Eight Days After Defending Sister From School Bullies

A 12-year-old girl stepped into a hallway confrontation to defend her older sister from a group of bullies, took a metal water bottle to the head, and eight days later was dead from brain hemorrhaging.

Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died on February 25th after what started as another bullying incident at Reseda Charter High School.

The Hallway Confrontation

The incident took place on February 17th in a hallway at Reseda Charter High School, where Khimberly was struck in the head with a metal water bottle while attempting to defend her older sister from a group of bullies.

According to family members, video footage showed that Khimberly had already been hit with the water bottle when her sister Sharon threw it back at the other student in response, with Khimberly clinging to her sister because she was already hurt.

The Medical Response

When Khimberly's head started hurting later that same day, she was taken to an emergency room, where the doctor only did a visual exam with no imaging, such as a CT scan, and her mom was told to give her acetaminophen for the headaches.

By the time they arrived at Valley Presbyterian in Van Nuys, she was in cardiac arrest, and after they revived and stabilized her, they performed an MRI and determined she needed emergency surgery because major blood vessels in her brain had ruptured.

The Legal Aftermath

A 12-year-old Los Angeles student was arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa.

The family has filed a wrongful-death claim against LAUSD, alleging officials failed to stop months of documented physical abuse and harassment.

The same group of kids who attacked the Zavaleta sisters had also bullied and hurt another child prior to the February 17th attack.

The Khimberly Act

Uncle Guy Gazit launched a Change.org petition to propose legislation called "The Khimberly Act," which would require doctors to follow specific procedures for kids with head injuries and have it legislated.

The proposed legislation would establish federally standardized pediatric head trauma evaluation protocols, require evidence-based criteria for mandatory CT or MRI imaging, mandate documented neurological monitoring, and create accountability standards.

Khimberly dreamed of becoming a doctor and would always tell her mother that she would take care of her when she grew up.

Support Khimberly’s Family & Demand Change

Khimberly stepped in to protect her sister. Now her family is asking for support—and for action to prevent this from happening to another child.

👉 Help lay Khimberly to rest (GoFundMe)

👉 Sign the petition for The Khimberly Act

Your support can help her family through this devastating loss and push for life-saving medical protocols for children nationwide.