Arraignment Postponed For Man Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Girlfriend, 17
DOWNEY (CBS) — An 18-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend at their high school in South Gate, and also injuring two others, made his first court appearance Tuesday, but his arraignment was postponed.
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Abraham Lopez of South Gate is charged with one count each of murder and false imprisonment by violence, two counts of bringing or possessing weapons on school grounds and three counts each of assault with a deadly weapon and assault upon a peace officer.
Cindi Santana, 17, was stabbed multiple times last Friday during a lunchtime argument in a courtyard at South East High School.
A varsity football player, 11th-grader Jorge Garcia, and a female dean were stabbed or cut while trying to stop the attack, school police said. It took about 15 stitches to close a cut on Garcia's arm.
"During the argument (Lopez) began suddenly striking (Santana) with his fists and then pushed her to the ground," said Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. "The suspect then stabbed the victim several times before being subdued."
Witnesses described Lopez grabbing Santana and putting her in a headlock as several people tried to intervene in a courtyard away from classrooms. She died during surgery at St. Francis Medical Center.
"I know his intentions were not to hurt her, but everybody is going to say otherwise," said Lopez's mother, Elizabeth Minuela, outside of the court house.
Lopez remains jailed in lieu of $1.28 million bail. If convicted, he could face life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to the District Attorney's Office.
He is due back in court Oct. 25 for arraignment.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said Santana's mother notified the school principal about what had happened, and campus security officials were on the lookout for Lopez -- but he never came to school last week.
The South Gate Police Officers Association established a memorial fund to assist Santana's family. Donations can be sent to the SGPOA, c/o Cindi Santana, 8620 California Ave., South Gate, CA, 90280.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
