Family of Girl Attacked on Flight to PDX Sues American Airlines for $10 Million

The basics of the story are already out there.

A 13-year-old girl, flying to Portland from Dallas, is repeatedly sexually assaulted by a guy sitting next to her.

She was what they call "an unaccompanied minor" — someone whose family has paid an extra $150 fee to allow their child to fly without an adult to look after them, the assumption being, the airline will look after them.

Based on the court record, it does not appear that happened.

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When the flight finally landed, the young girl had to relive her terror, telling the FBI and police what happened.

Over a period of about 30 minutes, she had been groped.

"I felt frightened and trapped," she would later say.

The result was that Chad Cameron Camp was arrested and now faces charges in federal court.

He now also faces a $10 million suit.

His co-defendant in the suit filed by the family of the girl is American Airlines.

"American knew (the girl) as an unaccompanied minor and failed in its duty to provide Plaintiff the requisite care to protect M. W. from the harms alleged herein," according to the suit.

"During the flight, American provided (the girl) with no supervision, monitoring or enhanced level of safety different or apart from what it gave any adult passenger. In essence, American completely abdicated and breached the duties that it owed to (the girl) and her parents."

American has not yet responded to the suit, but when Camp was arrested it issued a statement saying it is committed to provide safe travel for children.

The suit says that because of the attack, the girl "has suffered direct and extreme psychological, emotional and mental trauma and injury of a permanent nature."

The family is asking for $10 million to cover, among other things: medical, psychological and counseling expenses; emotional, physical and mental pain and suffering; loss of earning capacity; and expenses incurred due to Camp's prosecution.