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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
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Hilton Worker Got Teen Pregnant, Mom Says

(CN) - A Hilton employee had sex with a 15-year-old girl in an empty hotel room and impregnated her, the girl's mother claims in court.

Rachel Carter sued Windsor Capital Group Inc., which does business as Embassy Suites Atlanta-Alpharetta, and Hilton Worldwide Inc., on behalf of herself and her minor child S.C. in the Superior Court of Fulton County, Ga.

She says that she and her daughter checked into the Embassy Suites location in December 2012, and that as they did so, she noticed that a 28-year-old front desk employee named Ryan Burford was flirting with S.C., according to the complaint.

Carter told Burford to stop and informed him that S.C. was 15 years old, but he did not stop and ended up engaging in "a continuing pattern of sexual assault" against the minor, the lawsuit claims.

"On several occasions defendants' employee, Ryan Burford, through mind games, false promises and other nefarious conduct seduced plaintiff S.C. to enter into an illegal sexual relationship ... that included the performance of various and multiple sexual acts between plaintiff S.C. and Burford," the complaint states. "On several occasions between December 2012 and April 2013, defendants' employee, Ryan Burford, entered the premises of the Embassy Suites with plaintiff S.C. and took her into empty hotel rooms to have illegal sex with her."

S.C. became pregnant but the pregnancy was aborted, according to the complaint. Carter reported Burford to police and he was arrested for statutory rape. He was sentenced to 10 years with 5 years probation, the lawsuit states.

The hotel owner defendants did not safely maintain the Embassy Suites premises to protect minors like S.C., Carter claims.

"Defendants are liable for the sexual assault of plaintiff S.C. Said sexual assault was done without necessity, privilege, or consent. Under the circumstances, plaintiff S.C. could not legally consent to the sexual acts referenced herein because she was only 15 years old at the time," the complaint states. "Because defendants had knowledge of, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have had knowledge of, the dangerous environment of said property, defendants are liable for the negligent supervision, hiring, training, and retention of their employees and the entrustment of said property to their agents and employees."

Carter and her daughter seek special, compensatory, punitive and consequential damages. They are represented by Reginald Greene of Atlanta.

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