A South Florida woman who said she was sexually assaulted in August of 2024 while cleaning a Fort Lauderdale home used as an Airbnb rental is suing the online platform and others, demanding stronger security measures for vacation rental properties.
At a Wednesday press conference, the alleged victim, identified only as “Jane Doe,” spoke out about the incident along with her attorneys.
“I live with this trauma… with this fear, every day,” woman said. “I wish this had never happened.”
Lawsuit against Airbnb and Broward property owners
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday morning, alleges that Airbnb and the property owners failed to implement basic security measures that could have prevented the assault.
The woman’s legal team is calling for stricter requirements, including better background checks and mandatory security features for rental homes.
“While she was doing her job, while she was cleaning, an intruder broke into this Airbnb and violently attacked her and raped her,” said one of her attorneys.
“Airbnb and the hosts and owners of this property refused to implement even the most basic security measures that could have and should have prevented this from occurring,” her attorneys added.
Attorneys representing the woman said the house had been a target of two robberies in the past, and Fort Lauderdale police confirmed this information.
The property is listed under La Bella Vacations, one of the parties sued by the alleged victim. Monet Cleaning Services, the company for whom the woman worked, according to the attorneys, is also being sued.
Details of the Fort Lauderdale home attack
According to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, officers responded to a home invasion and sexual battery on the 500 block of SW 19th Street on Aug. 28, 2024, at around 2 p.m.
“The victim had been inside the home cleaning when an unknown male suspect approached from behind. The suspect then threw her to the ground, brandished a knife and zip ties to physically restrain the victim. The suspect then sexually assaulted the victim. The suspect…, at the time of the crime, was wearing a blue shirt and brown shorts,” police said.
No arrests have been made and investigators are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The owner of the cleaning company told CBS News Miami over the phone she did not know she was being sued. CBS News Miami also reached out to the person listed as the owner of the property over the phone and social media and she did not respond.
Airbnb responded to our request for comment with, “We take the safety of our community seriously. We are investigating the incident reported and have suspended the listing from the platform during that time.”
CBS News Miami was still waiting for a response from the owner of the property and the cleaning company.
The investigation continues. Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact law enforcement at 954-828-5510 or submit an anonymous tip to Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).
