( CNN ) -- A 16-year-old girl , described by her family as `` a bright light full of hopes and dreams , '' died inside her Connecticut high school on Friday after being slashed in her neck , chest and face , authorities said . The alleged assailant , a 16-year-old male classmate , was removed by staff members at Jonathan Law High School in Milford , Connecticut , that town 's police said . He 's being held at a local medical facility and a murder charge is pending , officials said . He 'll be arraigned on this charge next Monday in a juvenile court in New Haven , though police note that courts will decide later if he will be tried as an adult . The incident began around 7 a.m. in a stairwell at the school , and was witnessed in part by at least one school staff member . The victim -- Maren Sanchez , a junior -- suffered `` multiple lacerations '' and investigators `` recovered a knife at the crime scene , '' police said . The Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner 's Office has yet to officially determine a cause of death . School staff members and emergency technicians attempted `` life-saving measures , '' according to Milford Police Chief Keith Mello , but Sanchez was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital at 7:43 a.m . Addressing reporters on Friday , the police chief did n't provide a motive but said investigators are looking into rumors a boy was angry because Sanchez had declined to go to the prom with him . The prom , scheduled for Friday night , has been postponed . All students were sent home , and Milford Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Feser said counseling services will be available to them throughout the weekend . The slain girl 's cousin , Edward Kovac , read a statement from her family lamenting what they called an `` unprovoked attack '' that ended the life of a young woman who had `` her future at her fingertips . '' `` Maren should be celebrating at her prom this evening , with her friends and classmates , '' the family said , via Kovac . `` Instead , we are mourning her death , and we are trying as a community to understand this senseless loss of life . '' The family statement recalled other cases of school violence , saying `` we can never forget the lessons ... from this '' and other incidents . One of those incidents happened about 22 miles away , in December 2012 in Newtown , when a lone gunman shot his mother to death , then went to Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 people , including 20 children , before taking his own life . `` We need to ensure that more young children are protected from violent attacks at school , '' the family said . READ MORE : Teaching teens to be active bystanders . CNN 's Ralph Ellis contributed to this report .
Report : Report : A year - old girl was cut in the neck , arms and face ; a knife is found . NEW : The boy , 16 , faces murder charges ; he could later be charged as an adult . NEW : The family of Maren Sanchez says more should be done to prevent school violence . The assault happened at Jonathan Law High School in Milford , Connecticut .