12-year-old girl died of natural causes after fight at Reseda school, medical examiner says

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Knxnews>News>Local
12-year-old girl died of natural causes after fight at Reseda school, medical examiner says


Khimberly Zavaleta / PANISH | SHEA | RAVIPUDI LLP.

KNX News 1070 AM
By KNX News 1070 AM
May 21, 2026

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says a 12-year-old girl died of natural causes after she was hit in the head with a metal water bottle during a fight at Reseda Charter High School. ... The cause of death for Khimberly Zavaleta was listed as "spontaneously ruptured blood vessels from a congenital abnormality."

Robert Glassman, who represents Khimberly's family in a negligence case against the Los Angeles Unified School District, told KNX News he’s puzzled by this.

“The hospital diagnosed her with a head injury, of course, that is what caused her death, and that is what's so tragic,” Glassman said. “But also, it's very bewildering why the examiner would even, you know, fail to link those two things together, and I'll tell you, we are going to look into that because it does seem very unusual. “

Khimberly died in February, a few days after she was hit in the head during that fight. Her family says she was defending her sister against bullies. ... A juvenile was arrested in connection with the fight, but the status of the case is not clear.

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[underpants]

1. Jesus.

[Skittles]

2. huh?

[Whyisthisstillclose]

3. Total incompetence or corruption.. Either way the Medical Examiner is disgusting

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Too coincidental by half.

Why make excuses?

[70sEraVet]

5. The family needs to bring in their own medical examiner

I think this one just got a large deposit to their bank account.

[hunter]

6. When I was teaching the school district simply didn't have the resources to deal with it all.

It broke me, every day every minute, school was in my head. I couldn't compartmentalize, simply go home and live my own life away from school.

As an idealistic young idiot who's own high school experience was "Lord of the Flies" I thought I could return Welcome Back Kotter style and save the world.

Saving the world is going to take money out society doesn't seem willing to spend.

The image our society projects to so many of our children is that it doesn't give a shit about them.

[Jacson6]

7. If it goes to court this is a matter for a judge or jury to decide.

The autopsy is just an opinion by a doctor.