Bay Area

Parents of Slain Teenager File Wrongful Death Suit Against Stockton School District, Former Administrators

The parents of a Stockton teenager who was stabbed to death last year at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School have filed suit against the Stockton Unified School District for failing to adequately ensure the safety of their daughter. Alycia Reynaga, 15, was fatally stabbed April 18, 2022, at the high school after the alleged killer, 52-year-old Anthony Gray, entered the school’s campus through an unlocked and unsupervised gate, according to the lawsuit filed this month by Reynaga’s mother, Monique Vallie, and father, Manuel Reynaga.

Published

3 years ago

April 3, 2023

Oakland Post

Alicia "Lala" Reynaga is remembered on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The 15-year-old was killed at Stagg High School. (Victoria Franco via Bay City News)

By Eli Walsh
Bay City News

Alycia Reynaga, 15, was fatally stabbed April 18, 2022, at the high school after the alleged killer, 52-year-old Anthony Gray, entered the school’s campus through an unlocked and unsupervised gate, according to the lawsuit filed this month by Reynaga’s mother, Monique Vallie, and father, Manuel Reynaga.

Reynaga’s parents named the district as a defendant in the lawsuit as well as then-district Superintendent John Ramirez, Jr., Alonzo Stagg High School Principal Brett Toliver and an anonymous group of 100 administrators, teachers, district staff, security personnel and other authority figures employed by the district.

Vallie and Reynaga argue in the lawsuit that district and school employees have the same responsibility as parents for protection and supervision of children while they are at school.

As a result of Alycia Reynaga’s death, her parents allege in the lawsuit that the district, school and relevant employees are liable for negligence and wrongful death.

“In advance of and at the time of Gray’s intrusion onto campus and stabbing of Alycia, each defendant knew or should have known that students, including Alycia, were subject to a foreseeable risk of harm from unauthorized trespassers, but failed to take reasonable steps to adequately protect students, including Alycia, from that risk,” the legal complaint from Vallie and Reynaga alleges.

Vallie and Reynaga allege that Gray, who was not affiliated with the school, parked his car in the school’s south parking lot and exited brandishing a knife.

Gray then allegedly entered the campus through an unlocked gate and chased students and attempted to enter locked doors before stabbing Alycia “multiple times.”

Alycia Reynaga was then taken to San Joaquin County General Hospital where she died from her injuries.

Vallie and Reynaga allege in the complaint that the district failed to take action to increase protection of students after previous violent events at SUSD schools, including a 2019 stabbing of a 14-year-old girl at a school in the district.

The complaint alleges that in April 2021 the district eliminated the position of Emergency Services/School Safety Program Coordinator, which was responsible for overseeing safety drills, education and compliance. That position allegedly remained unfilled as of April 18, 2022.

The complaint also alleges that the Stockton Police Department received more than 30,000 calls regarding SUSD schools over the previous decade, including 83 calls specifically about activity at Alonzo Stagg High School.

A San Joaquin County court said earlier this year that Gray was not mentally competent to stand trial for Reynaga’s death. Gray was charged with multiple crimes in connection with the stabbing, including first-degree murder.

A spokesperson for the district was not immediately available to respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

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IN MEMORIAM: Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73

Longtime OUSD Employee Debra King-Cooper, 73 Caption: Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love i

Published

5 days ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Debra King-Cooper. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Debra King-Cooper, a beloved mother, grandmother, queen, sister, church member, caregiver, and matriarch, transitioned peacefully on May 20 surrounded by family and love in the comfort of her home. To her children, she was royalty, grace, strength, and unconditional love embodied.

Debra Diane Edgar was born on May 28, 1952, in San Francisco, California, to Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar. She was raised alongside her younger brother, Charles Edgar Jr., affectionately known as “Little Brother” or “Lil Bruh.” She also shared close bonds with her older siblings Carol Edgar-Lang, Maryann Edgar Calloway, and Lonnie Lewis Sr.

A proud product of San Francisco’s historic Fillmore District, Debra attended Andrew Jackson Elementary School, where she met her lifelong best friend and adopted sister, Lynn Green, in the fifth grade. She later attended Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High School and Thomas Jefferson High School.

Debra’s mother transitioned when she was only 17 years old, and her father transitioned when she was 23. Despite these profound losses, Debra remained grounded through the love and support of extended family and lifelong family friends,

In 1971, she married Harold King. On Sept. 24, 1972, they welcomed their first son, Dajuan Artese King, affectionately called “Pop” or “Poppa.” On Aug. 5, 1976, they welcomed their second son, Dante Dupree King, affectionately called “Tay” or “Taboocoo the Baby.”

After her divorce in 1982, Debra assumed full responsibility for raising her sons.

She supported Dajuan’s passion for football by purchasing sports equipment and attending games faithfully. She supported Dante’s love of music by enrolling him in the San Francisco Boys Choir, Oakland Boys Choir, and the Castlemont Castleers.

Professionally, Debra built an exceptional career. She worked at Blue Shield of California from 1973 until 1994, earning multiple promotions.

She later joined the Oakland Unified School District, initially in a temporary role before being promoted into management within the Labor Relations Department. She retired from OUSD in 2015 after years of distinguished service. During her years at OUSD, she built meaningful friendships with her colleagues.

Faith was central to Debra’s life. During the 1980s, following personal hardship, she joined Love Center Church under the leadership of Bishop Walter Hawkins, where she brought her children regularly. She later became a member of Triumphant: A Church Without Walls Ministries under Pastor Dr. Larry Short, who became a beloved spiritual mentor.

After Triumphant closed in 1992, Debra joined Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Pastor Larry Ashley, where she remained for the rest of her life.

At Cosmopolitan, she worked in numerous ministries. She served on the usher board, sang in the choir, participated in the AIDS ministry during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped feed and support unhoused community members, and mentored and supported a group of young girls.

After retirement, she cared for older adults in her church community, driving them to appointments, cleaning their homes, managing finances, preparing meals, and helping families navigate funeral arrangements after loved ones transitioned.

Even while battling Stage 4 cancer herself, she continued caring for others.

Debra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Edgar Sr. and Mamie Arthur Edgar; her brothers, Lonnie Lewis Sr. and Charles Edgar Jr.; her sisters, Maryann Edgar Calloway and Victoria Stephenson Knight; and her adopted mother, Clara Oliver.

She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons, Dajuan King and Dante King; grandson, Tiyler Dajuan Artese King; sister, Carol Edgar-Lang; goddaughters Monique Belle and Ricketa Matthews Jones (Leonard); daughter-in-love Quiona Sullivan; son-in-love Marcel Walker; sister-in-law Delores Lewis; adopted sisters and lifelong friends Lynn Green, Barbara Stephenson Hill, and Sarah Fine; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, her church family and dear friends.