Family of Santa Ana HS student fatally stabbed on campus sues district
Santa Ana family sues school over son's stabbing
The family of Armando Flores is suing the Santa Ana Unified School District, after the 14-year-old was stabbed to death at school, claiming school staff didn't do enough to help him after the attack.
SANTA ANA, Calif. - The family of a 14-year-old boy stabbed to death at Santa Ana High School last month are filing a legal claim against the school district, alleging it created a dangerous environment that led to the student's "preventable death."
What we know:
The recently filed claim alleges that the Santa Ana Unified School District "failed to provide adequate campus security and supervision, creating a dangerous environment that led to the tragic and preventable death of Armando Morales and the stabbing injuries sustained by another student. The incident, which took place during school hours, has raised urgent questions regarding the district’s responsibility to protect its students," a statement from the family's lawyers said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Teen stabbed to death at Santa Ana High School
Three high school students were stabbed outside Santa Ana High School. One student, just 14 years old, died on the way to the hospital. Police are searching for two suspects.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, attorneys for the Morales family demanded justice, calling on the district to take full accountability.
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"We're here today because yesterday, against the Santa Ana Unified School District, we filed a government claim for negligence, for incompetence, for their recklessness in not protecting Armando, and for now, this family having to go through this immense suffering that should have never happened… we want justice, we want answers from the school district," said attorney Michael Carrillo.
Dig deeper:
According to the family's lawyers, the Santa Ana Police Officers Union sent a letter to the Santa Ana Unified School District Board demanding that they address certain safety needs on campus. The letter identified three major incidents involving after-school threats and assaults.
"This school district has been put on notice about these red flags, these safety concerns since August of 2023, and they did nothing. They didn't have enough staff supervising the kids as they're getting out for the day," Carrillo said. "They didn't have enough time and attention to pay to these cases, resulting in the horrendous murder."
The backstory:
On Wednesday, May 7, three students were stabbed during a fight which broke out in the school parking lot around 3 p.m.
According to the family's lawyers, Morales stepped in during the fight to protect another student and was stabbed multiple times. Two other students ages 15 and 16 were injured and hospitalized and have since recovered from their injuries.
The lawyers further claim they have information that the school district took Morales inside and did not perform life-saving measures on Morales and delayed his treatment, saying there was a delay from the time they knew he needed emergency medical treatment before they called 911.
"Ultimately he bled out as a result," Carrillo said.
"The administrator himself did not continue to try to stop the bleeding… there was no call for immediate emergency crews.. so this administrator, instead of helping the situation, only worsened the situation," he added. "My interpretation of that day is they're more concerned about the reputation of the school than they are about the children."
Later that evening, a 15-year-old suspect and his 17-year-old brother turned themselves in to authorities.
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A stabbing at Santa Ana High School killed a 14-year-old student and hospitalized two others. The suspects, who are brothers, have been arrested and charged with murder.
Santa Ana police said the deadly incident was gang-related. The defendant and his big brother are considered documented gang members, and the others, except for the boy killed, are associated with a rival gang, said Santa Ana police Officer Natalie Garcia.
The 15 and 16-year-olds who were also stabbed are brothers.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Teen stabbed to death at Santa Ana High School
The 15-year-old has been charged with murder, along with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for stabbing two other classmates. It's unclear if his brother was also charged.
Morales' lawyers said they have video of the deadly incident.
"You'll see a boy in a gray sweatshirt bring out a knife and just start stabbing him [Morales] on the side of his body. You hear the one of the boys say ‘is that a knife?’ and nowhere in the video can you see any administrator or school official, anybody present to check on this."
It's unclear if a school resource officer was on site at the time of the incident, but the family's lawyers referenced an Aug. 2023 letter that identified a shortage of school police officers assigned to after-school dismissal.
"What we see in that letter is that the Santa Ana Police Department wanted more help, wanted to provide more assistance to the school district and to these kids as they're leaving… what we're seeing is the school board, the school district itself didn't take any steps between August of 2023 and May 7 to address those needs."
What they're saying:
"Where was the principal? Where was the assistant principal that day? I'm very disappointed with them, the school district," Morales' mother said during the press conference.
"For me as a mom, I was thinking that my child was safe more in school rather than being out in the street, but now they failed me," she added. "They failed to be the safest place that I felt I had seen my child was here in school."
"My son was an innocent person. He didn't deserve to die," Morales' father said.
A witness and friend of the victim said it started as an argument that quickly escalated. "At first it was a fight, and then it escalated to the kid pulling out a knife, and yeah, he just started stabbing… because I guess self-defense, but that's not a reasonable answer," he said. "He was the most, probably funniest kid I knew. He was caring, not the smartest academically, but he was very fun to be around, hang out with."
FOX 11's crew spoke with Crystal Duffy, a parent whose son will soon be old enough to attend Santa Ana High. She told FOX 11 the stabbing likely stemmed from a fight.
Family of teen fatally stabbed at Santa Ana HS sue district
The claim alleges that the Santa Ana Unified School District failed to provide adequate campus security and supervision, creating a dangerous environment that led to the "tragic and preventable death" of 14-year-old Armando Morales.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Santa Ana High School student charged with murder of classmate
"I'm really heartbroken for the parents," Duffy said. "For any school, all the kids, you're supposed to feel safe. And they don't anymore, they just don't feel safe."
The other side:
The SAUSD has released the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
"The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) has received and is reviewing the legal claim. As this matter may involve potential litigation, the District is unable to provide further comment involving this claim.The safety and well-being of our students remains our highest priority. We continue focused on maintaining a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for all students."
The Source: Information for this story is from the Carrillo Law Firm and previous FOX 11 reports.