College Raises $2,600 for Victim’s Family

The students, faculty and staff of Valley College collected more than $2,600 for the immigrant parents of a Grant High School sophomore who was killed recently while jaywalking.

Rita and Syoma Marutyan, whose 16-year-old daughter, Inna, was struck by a vehicle Nov. 21, received $1,568 Nov. 25 and $860.65 Nov. 26, the day Inna was buried.

As of Tuesday, an additional $242.71 had been collected for the immigrant Armenian family who came to the United States from Russia two years ago, said Sherry Matthews of Valley’s Office of Dean of Student Services, which has been collecting the contributions. She said the latest donations will be delivered to the Marutyan family on Friday.

“They heard that her family had no money to pay for the funeral and I thought it was a blessing because we never knew that so many students and faculty cared enough to give out of their hearts,” said Matthews, who also praised Grant students for raising more than $5,000 for the Marutyan family.

Inna was crossing Oxnard Street as she returned home to her apartment across from Grant High when a Jeep struck her in front of a crowd of students leaving the campus for the weekend.

The Jeep’s driver, an 18-year-old woman, was not arrested and police said she will not be charged with a traffic violation.

Upon hearing of the tragedy, Dean of Students Yasmin Delahoussaye sent a letter Nov. 24 to Valley College professors asking for donations from students, faculty and staff.

Those wanting to make donations can contact Delahoussaye’s office at (818) 781-1200, Ext. 243.