LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) — A Home 2 Suites is facing a negligence claim after a minor was allegedly a victim of human trafficking at its hotel in Little Rock, Ark.
Jane Doe as parent of and next friend of Jane Doe, a minor, filed a complaint Feb. 2 in Pulaski County Circuit Court against Shackleford Crossing Properties LLC doing business as Home 2 Suites By Hilton, Sonya Investments Inc., and others alleging negligence and human trafficking.
According to the plaintiffs' complaint, Jane Doe, who was six years old at the time, was raped, threatened and trafficked at Home 2 Suites in Little Rock and that her attacker forced her into engaging in sexual acts with men in exchange for money. The plaintiffs allege that Doe's sexual abuse and trafficking took place at the Home 2 Suites from January through June of 2018 which caused her to contract syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV.
They further allege Doe's trafficker was federally convicted and that Home 2 Suites knew or should have known from the numerous men, who were not paying guests who repeatedly visited the hotel room, that she was being harmed. The plaintiffs claim the defendants' negligence for failing to train its staff on the warning signs of human trafficking and for not implementing security procedures such as verifying guest identity.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by Meredith Moore, Denise Hoggard and Eric Wewers of Rainwater, Holt & Sexton PA in Little Rock.