It’s been over three years since Valentina Orellana-Peralta’s life was senselessly taken by LAPD Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. The 14-year-old was hugging her mother in a Burlington dressing room, praying for safety when Jones recklessly fired shots that killed both Valentina and Daniel Elena-Lopez. Despite LAPD Chief Moore confirming that all three shots violated policy, true accountability has been elusive.
Now, as the case heads to a jury trial, there’s been a disturbing pattern of dismissiveness and insensitivity from those who should be ensuring justice. One comment, in particular, stands out for its cruelty: calling the case ‘old already.’ This was reportedly said by an LAPD officer in response to the tragedy of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed the day before Christmas Eve by LAPD. The video capturing this moment was filmed by Streetwatch LA.
When someone refers to the death of a child as ‘old already,’ it shows a lack of humanity and compassion. For Valentina’s family—her parents Juan Pablo Orellana and Soledad Peralta, and her sister Merry Lee—this tragedy is not something that can simply be moved past. They live with it every day. Every holiday, birthday, and milestone is marked by the absence of Valentina. It’s a wound that time does not heal.
To dismiss this case as ‘old’ is to disrespect the grieving process and to undermine the demand for accountability. Valentina’s death may not be fresh news for some, but for her family, it is an ever-present agony.
The fact that William Dorsey Jones Jr. continues to work with children as a football coach at Valencia High School is another painful reminder of the systemic failures that have allowed this tragedy to go unpunished. The community demands justice, but instead, they hear callous remarks from those in power.
Accountability doesn’t have an expiration date. The public’s demand for justice is not something that fades with time. By dismissing this case, officials send a dangerous message—that when police brutality results in the death of a child, it’s only a matter of time before they hope we forget.
We will not forget Valentina. And we will not accept a justice system that treats her death as if it were just another headline that has aged out of relevance.
Help the family with support and sign the petition for justice! Check out AFTP Foundation (Always For The People).
