L.A. County examiner rules 12-year-old's death not homicide after bullying incident
The Los Angeles County medical examiner has determined that the death of 12-year-old Khimberly Zavaleta was not a homicide, attributing it to an undetected congenital brain abnormality. Zavaleta died in 2021 after being bullied at school. Her family and their lawyer dispute this conclusion, arguing that the bullying and subsequent stress contributed to her death. The case has drawn attention to the physical consequences of bullying and the challenges in determining cause of death in such incidents.
Key facts
- Khimberly Zavaleta was 12 years old.
- Her death occurred in 2021.
- The L.A. County medical examiner ruled the death not a homicide.
- The cause of death was an undetected congenital brain abnormality.
- Zavaleta had been bullied at school prior to her death.
- Her family and lawyer dispute the medical examiner's conclusion.
- The case highlights the physical effects of bullying.
Entities
Institutions
- Los Angeles County medical examiner
Locations
- Los Angeles County
- United States
Sources
- Quartz —