Sexual Assault Lawsuit Filed Against McDonald’s By Local Atlanta Mom On Behalf Of Her Daughter
Plaintiff alleges the Loganville, Georgia restaurant was aware of store manager’s sexual assault history
Atlanta – March 21, 2023 – Isenberg & Hewitt, P.C. has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a minor (known as AE in order to protect her privacy), against McDonald’s Corporation, McDonald’s USA and the franchise owners and operators (LVM Partners) and management company (Vineyard Management) of the Loganville McDonald’s franchise located at 4638 Atlanta Highway, Loganville, Georgia 30052. The lawsuit claims that, as a result of failings on the part of McDonald’s Corporation and the Loganville store operators, AE was groomed and ultimately sexually assaulted by an adult store employee with two prior convictions of lewd and lascivious molestation against another victim who was 12 – 16 years
old.“McDonald’s’ employees across the country, many of them teenagers such as AE, are telling stories of routine and severe sexual harassment and abuse. McDonald’s, which is not only one of the largest employers in the country but also advertises itself as ‘America’s best first job’, creates and permits a sexually hostile work environment for its employees from the top down, as evidenced, at least in part, by former-CEO Steve Easterbrook’s recent termination for an improper relationship, in violation of company policy (and related allegations regarding other sexual relationships with other McDonald’s employees) taking place throughout the country in its thousands of fast-food restaurants,” said Melvin L. Hewitt, Attorney and managing partner of Isenberg & Hewitt, P.C., representing AE.
The circumstances leading up to AE’s sexual assault and resulting pregnancy were a failure on the part of both McDonald’s Corporation/McDonald’s USA and the store owners, operators and management. First, according to Hewitt, McDonald’s Corporation and McDonald’s USA failed to clearly disclose that minors hired to work as crew members at company-owned and franchised locations may be working alongside registered sex offenders, even child molesters.
According to the lawsuit, the franchise owners and operators, LVM Partners, and its management company, Vineyard Management, also breached their duty of care to AE. Neither AE nor her parent was made aware of the possibility that AE could or likely would be working alongside a convicted sex offender and child molester who, according to the lawsuit was employed as a manager trainee who was not properly monitored by store management despite his having previously been convicted of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim of 12 to 15 years of age.
“My underage client has suffered and continues to suffer the traumatic effects of the emotional injuries she sustained as a result of the actions, inactions and negligence of McDonald’s and the operators of the Loganville restaurant,” added Hewitt. “We want to bring to light the failings that led to AE’s assault in the hopes that this never happens to any other person employed by McDonald’s or any other entity enticing minors to work in predatory work environments. We plan to demonstrate at trial how this predator was allowed to prey on and groom an underage female employee while he allegedly supervised and directed her every move, and how this impacted her physical and emotional well-being.”
The Plaintiff has requested a trial by jury and seeks an undisclosed award and judgment against the named defendants, McDonald’s Corporation, McDonald’s USA, LVM Partners and Vineyard Management. The lawsuit was filed with the State Court of Gwinnett County on March 15, 2023.