YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Two York County families are suing Uber, alleging the company allowed their 12- and 13-year-old daughters to be taken across state lines to a child predator's home where one of the girls was sexually assaulted.
The lawsuit, which was announced Wednesday, seeks to hold Uber accountable for being complicit in child sex trafficking. The lawsuit claims two Uber drivers drove the children to the alleged predator's home without notifying their parents. The lawsuit says the drivers then picked up the girls and took them back home without raising any concerns.
Attorney Tracey Cowan called on Uber to ensure its platform is safe, especially for children. The suit wants the company to add cameras in vehicles, eliminate the policy that penalizes drivers who refuse to pick up unaccompanied children and wants drivers to undergo anti-trafficking training.
"At the perpetrator’s house, the girls were given drugs," Cowan told WCNC Charlotte. "The 12-year-old was raped, struck repeatedly, spit on and the whole thing was filmed on the rapist’s phone.”
The lawsuit is seeking financial compensation for pain and suffering along with mental and physical damages. The families are also seeking the cost of medical expenses and lost wages.
Cowan said the parents weren’t aware of the trip. They claim Fayvion Jarrod Williams, who ordered the ride, told one of the minors to tell the Uber driver he was the girl’s father. The girls told the Uber driver they were underage and yet he still drove them an hour away across state lines, according to Cowan.
The suit notes Williams pleaded guilty in North Carolina to statutory rape of a minor under the age of 15 and 2nd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He's listed as an active inmate in the state's prison system.
“[We're] bringing this litigation to ensure that no families ever have to go through horrors like this again," Cowman added.
The families in this case are demanding more practices for drivers.
"What the families would like is for Uber to step up, take responsibility and enact more safety measures such as mandatory anti-trafficking training for all drivers," Cowan said. "Also Uber needs to have a zero tolerance policy for transporting unaccompanied minors."
An Uber spokesperson provided the following statement to WCNC Charlotte:
“The details of this incident are horrific. We take our role helping to combat human trafficking seriously and have spent years investing in prevention efforts, including providing every driver with educational resources on how to identify the signs of human trafficking and report suspected cases.
"We are committed to partnering with experts to help combat this issue, and our Global Investigations team works hand in hand with law enforcement to help bring suspected traffickers to justice. In addition, we’ve partnered with state Attorneys General to develop digital content to help drive awareness even further. Our work to help shine a light on human trafficking is never done, and we remain committed to being part of the solution.”
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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