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A Harris County lawsuit alleges that a female minor was repeatedly sexually abused and assaulted at the fast food restaurant where she worked, per a report from Houston NBC affiliate KPRC.
The station reported that The Simpson Tuegel Law Firm initiated legal action on behalf of the unidentified complaint against Dairy Queen and an individual named Joshua Flores.
Court documents filed on Monday explain that Flores supervised Jane Doe and another employee during the closing shift at the defendant establishment in Huffman in unincorporated northeast Harris County.
According to the original petition, on July 11, 2019, Flores offered Doe $20 to stay and do extra cleaning.
Flores allegedly directed the plaintiff to check the restrooms, and while she did so, cornered her and “then proceeded to sexually assault her.”
The suit further states the restaurant manager fielded Doe’s complaint but neglected to report it to authorities in accordance with state law.
She told her mother about the incident, as well as reported Flores to police and requested a restraining order.
Per the complaint, Flores was arrested, charged and ultimately convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child for which he’s currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.
KPRC reported that the victim’s legal counsel said Flores threatened to harm the plaintiff and her family if she confided in them about what purportedly took place at the establishment.
In a statement obtained by the station, attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel said Dairy Queen and the Huffman franchise “failed this young girl.”
Tuegel added the situation wasn’t unique.
“Unfortunately, this case is not an isolated incident, but rather emblematic of a larger issue within the restaurant industry,” she said in the statement. “It is our hope that this lawsuit will not only provide some semblance of justice to our client, but also shed light on the urgent need for additional protections for minors in the workplace.”