Man Sues Hotel For Key Mixup That Led To Molestation Charges

A Conshohocken man is suing a St. Louis hotel for giving him the wrong room key when he was drunk, leading to him accidentally getting into bed with a 9-year-old girl.

Daniel Hughes has been acquitted of molestation and statutory sodomy, according to media reports, but the incident caused him to lose a lucrative job.

Hughes, who worked for Enterprise Leasing Co., was in St. Louis for a conference on March 6, 2011, and was out drinking late at night, reports state.

When he he returned to his hotel, the Ritz Carlton, Hughes could not remember his room number or where his room key was, reports state. His lawsuit alleges that the hotel was negligent in not checking his identification and the guest registry to ensure he was given the correct key, Philly.com reports.

Hughes entered the 9-year-old’s room with the incorrect key, where she claimed that he touched her sexually, St. Louis Today reports. His attorney argued that he only cuddled her, thinking she was a woman he had been with earlier in the night.

The lawsuit alleges that after Hughes was fired, he lost out on a paycheck of more than $1 million in 2015, reports state.

Hughes settled a lawsuit filed by the girl’s parents for $50,000.