By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The mother of the teen who was stabbed to death at Maryvale High School last year is demanding answers after a memorial for her son was taken down.
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Michael Montoya was killed by another student in the middle of class in August 2025. That suspect is still behind bars.
Montoya’s mother said while the school originally helped her put up the memorial, they have decided to take it down.
Graciela Lopez filed a lawsuit against the school over her son’s death. It’s been almost one year since her 16-year-old son was stabbed 15 times.
Lopez said she was told the memorial was too large and became a fire hazard. Arizona’s Family asked the district about it but was told they have “no comment, due to pending litigation.”
Police say the suspect, Chris Aguilar, smuggled a four-inch pocketknife onto campus and attacked Montoya, who he accused of stealing a gun. Aguilar is charged with first-degree murder.
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Montoya’s family is suing the Phoenix Union High School District, saying the district eliminated school resource officers and programmed metal detectors to only detect large weapons.
The makeshift memorial for Michael was on the south side of the high school, growing fairly large in size.
Lopez said it was up for months before the school removed it this week.
Lopez shows up to the school every night and puts up a picture of her son as a way to grieve. There’s no word on if the school will accommodate a new memorial site for the family.
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