Overview
- Khimberly Zavaleta, a sixth grader on the grades 6–12 Reseda Charter High School campus, was struck during a Feb. 17 hallway altercation that relatives describe as a bullying incident involving her older sister.
- Her family says a metal water bottle hit her head, after which she developed severe headaches, suffered a catastrophic brain hemorrhage, underwent emergency surgeries and died on Feb. 25.
- The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Bureau Section, is handling the case as a homicide and has declined further comment because minors are involved.
- Authorities have not publicly confirmed a causal link between the alleged bottle strike and the fatal hemorrhage, though relatives and a GoFundMe account detail the medical sequence.
- Students have held protests and built a memorial at the school, LAUSD says it is cooperating and offering counseling, and donations to the family’s GoFundMe surpassed $97,000 as of Sunday.