Warning: This story contains graphic details of an alleged sexual assault.
A lawsuit filed in California this week alleges Southwest Airlines failed to protect a child from a sexual assault that occurred during a flight in July 2022, according to documents.
According to the lawsuit, the sexual assault occurred on a connecting flight from Las Vegas to Portland on July 4, 2022, after a 16-year-old was separated from his parents and seated between two adult men.
The lawsuit alleges the perpetrator, a large man approximately 50 years of age, boarded the flight "visibly intoxicated" and smelling of alcohol. The assault began shortly after the cabin lights were dimmed.
At this time, the perpetrator grabbed the teen's leg several times, touching his thigh and groin area. The perpetrator also attempted to kiss him while making lewd comments, the lawsuit alleges.
The assault then escalated, as the perpetrator then grabbed the teen's stomach, reached into his waistband and attempted to touch his anus. Despite the teen's efforts to push himself away, the assault continued throughout the flight, according to the lawsuit.
Upon arrival in Portland, the teen immediately reported the assault to his parents and the Portland Police Department, which began an investigation.
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The lawsuit, filed by Greenberg Gross LLP, alleges negligence on the part of Southwest Airlines, arguing the July 4th holiday, the visible intoxication of the perpetrator and the Las Vegas departure made the incident "entirely foreseeable."
The plaintiff offered the following remarks in regards to the pending lawsuit:
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“The reason that I am going forward and speaking about all of this is because there’s a lot of other people who suffer the same anxiety and fear that I feel every day. I want them to know that something can be done about it. Something needs to be done to make sure that children are made safe."
A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines said the airline doesn't "have anything to share on pending litigation at this time" in a request for comment from NBC Chicago.
There is currently no further information available.
