A California mother claims American Airways “victim-blamed” her and refused to assist after she was sexually assaulted by a identified serial airplane groper, in keeping with a brand new lawsuit.
Barbara Morgan mentioned she was sexually assaulted on April 24, 2024, by Cherian Abraham, 55, throughout a flight from San Francisco to Dallas, in keeping with the lawsuit filed within the US District Courtroom for the Northern District of California.
Morgan alleges that regardless of Abraham being a identified threat to ladies on red-eye flights — in a single day journeys the place the cabin is darkish — American Airways allowed him to proceed flying and assault extra ladies, NBC Information reported.
“American’s selections and actions straight led to her sexual assault, after which additional traumatized her by ignoring her complaints after the assault,” her attorneys at Romanucci & Blandin mentioned Wednesday.
“American Airways allowed this predator to fly and to assault one other lady after Barbara Morgan, till the FBI stepped in, and he was criminally charged.”
Morgan’s nightmare started when she boarded the Dallas-bound flight to go to her son and have a good time his new job and residential within the Texas metropolis.
Throughout the flight, Abraham allegedly started touching Morgan a number of occasions, together with between her legs, as she yelled at him to cease.
Morgan’s attorneys say she froze within the face of the trauma as nobody got here to her help, with the horrified lady looking for assist after the aircraft landed.
American Airways allegedly dismissed Morgan on a number of events, “victim-blaming” her and telling her that she shouldn’t have waited to get assist, the lawsuit states.
Morgan mentioned she was scared to get assist for the time being, fearing retaliation from Abraham or that she would anger different passengers if the incident precipitated the aircraft to be rerouted.
American Airways mentioned Abraham has been banned from flying with the corporate following his arrest in March.
“The security of our clients and workforce members is our highest precedence. We take this matter very significantly and are working intently with legislation enforcement on its investigation,” the airline mentioned in a press release.
Abraham was taken into custody following a federal investigation over an incident that occurred on March 18 aboard American Airways Flight 2076, the place a lady claimed he groped her breast twice.
He was charged with one depend of abusive sexual conduct, with the investigation discovering that together with the 2 circumstances, Abraham was additionally accused of groping one other lady on a Minneapolis flight in Oct. 2023.
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