The LA County Medical Examiner ruled 12-year-old Khimberly Zavaleta Chuquipa died of natural causes from a congenital brain condition, not the head injury she suffered during a bullying incident at Reseda Charter High School. Her family disputes the finding and continues pursuing legal action.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner ruled on Tuesday that died of natural causes, not homicide. The finding upends the case of the Reseda student who died eight days after being struck in the head with a metal water bottle at .
"The DME determined the cause and manner of death for 12-year-old Khimberly Alexandra Zavaleta Chuquipa as spontaneously ruptured cerebellar arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The manner of death is natural," the department said in a statement released May 19.
The medical examiner did not link the fatal brain bleed to the blow Khimberly received on February 17. The department said an arteriovenous malformation is a rare congenital condition involving fragile, tangled blood vessels in the brain that can rupture without warning.
"Catastrophic bleeding due to a rupture develops quickly, within seconds to minutes, and is immediately life-threatening," Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said. "Unfortunately, as in Khimberly's case, spontaneous rupture is a common initial presentation of an AVM."
According to the medical examiner's timeline and reporting from multiple outlets, the events unfolded over eight days:
Khimberly's family rejected the medical examiner's conclusion. Their attorney, Robert Glassman of Panish, Shea & Ravipudi LLP, called the ruling a dismissal of what happened to his client.
"Before this incident, Khimberly was a healthy, vibrant 12-year-old girl with no symptoms, no medical crisis and no indication that her AVM posed any danger to her life," Glassman said. "Then she was struck in the head at school with an aluminum water bottle, complained of serious head pain and within days suffered catastrophic brain bleeding that took her life."
Glassman said the family will continue pursuing a civil lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging that administrators ignored repeated reports of bullying targeting Khimberly and her sister.
"The civil case against the school district remains unchanged," Glassman said. "This case is about negligence, inaction and a failure to protect and properly respond to a child in distress."
Khimberly's mother, Elma Chuquipa, told ABC7 in March that she had spoken with school administrators earlier in the school year to report that her daughters were being bullied and threatened. She said the school did not act.
Khimberly's uncle, Guy Gazit, told the San Fernando Valley Sun the family is coping with the ruling but remains committed to seeking justice.
A juvenile suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Khimberly's death on April 2, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. An LAPD spokesperson told the San Fernando Valley Sun there are no updates on the criminal investigation. It is unclear whether the medical examiner's natural death ruling will lead to the murder charges being dropped or amended.
The family filed a formal damages claim against LAUSD in March, a required step before filing a lawsuit. The district has officially rejected the claim, according to the San Fernando Valley Sun.
"The Los Angeles Unified School District is deeply saddened by the death of a Reseda Charter High School student," the district said in a statement. "Our thoughts and condolences are with the student's family, friends and the entire school community."
A similar case played out in 2024 when Shaylee Mejia, 16, died days after a fight at Manual Arts High School in South Los Angeles. Her family also blamed campus bullying. A final autopsy ruled her death an accident and LAPD dropped its investigation.
The medical examiner's office said it will not provide further comment on the Khimberly Zavaleta case "due to anticipated litigation," a department spokesperson told the San Fernando Valley Sun.
This article was generated with AI assistance.