School stab suspect was arrested days earlier

LOS ANGELES - An 18-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in an area high school was arrested just days before the deadly attack for allegedly making criminal threats, police sources told CBS Station KCBS.

The victim, identified as 17-year-old Cindi Santana, was fatally stabbed Friday during a lunchtime fight in a courtyard at South East High School in South Gate, according to police.

Santana died at Saint Francis Medical Center hours later.

Girl stabbed at L.A.-area high school dies

Police sources confirmed that 18-year-old Abraham Lopez was arrested on Sept. 25, for allegedly making criminal threats. Lopez was bailed out two days later.

Investigators would not say if Lopez's initial arrest was at all related to Santana.

Friends and classmates of Santana gathered at the school Saturday evening, where a memorial was growing.

"I was telling her just, 'Close your eyes and pray with me,'" classmate Danielle Mendoza told KCBS. "She was just like, 'I'm not ready to go,' and she was crying. She was saying that 'it hurts so much' and he was basically screaming out, 'I loved you.'"

City News Service reports that grief counselors will be available to students and staffers at the school starting Sunday at about 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Lopez, who has been booked on suspicion of murder, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

[cbajccohen123]

Dear Dumb &*ck aka Abraham Lopez, please realize any and all dreams and hopes you had when finishing HS is now gone. Hopefully you pathetic existence will be dealt with same way you killed a human in jail or execution or at least a good 20 years in prison. You life is soooo screwed, it's not even funny how you will be treated in prison. Please have your mommy get you a tub of Vaseline on the first day you transfer to prison.

[tsigili]

The police never stop this kind of person. they simply arrest him, AFTER he has killed.

[train99]

Pretty lookin' girl! I can understand a guy going wild over her and just losin' it, I guess.

[linfinster]

You're SICK!

[sdcowgirl]

It appears he loved her to death. I think more young girls in relationships should learn the warning signs of abuse and get clear of the abuser and report it to the school. This is so common any more and it scares me to death for my granddaughters.

[askagain]

Another sad death of a young person. This guy not only took a life, he ruined his own life as well. Very sad.

[AnnieDanny]

Whatever reasons she had for breaking off the relationship with him, he just proved that she was at least 100% right.

And, he "loved her" ??? Not very likely. Obsessed, controlling and selfish seems more believable.

What a complete tragedy. I'm very sorry for the girl and her family and friends.