A teenage girl who was sexually assaulted on a Delta Air Lines flight is now suing the airline for negligence. The assault occurred during a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Orlando, with the girl claiming that the flight attendants served her assailant alcohol and failed to restrain him after the attack. The girl and her family are seeking damages for the lasting impact the assault has had on their lives, including emotional trauma and anxiety.
The lawsuit alleges that the attacker, Brian Patrick Durning, was already intoxicated when he boarded the flight and was served more alcohol during the overnight journey. Despite the girl’s mother asking for him to be moved away from her daughter, Durning continued to harass the family throughout the flight, even touching another passenger after being relocated. The girl has since experienced nightmares, post-traumatic stress, and a decline in academic performance, while her brother has developed anxiety and a fear of flying and male strangers.
The family’s attorneys claim that Delta Air Lines “enabled” the attack by allowing Durning to roam freely on the plane and that flight attendants did not take sufficient action to protect the passengers. The lawsuit seeks compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damages suffered by the family as a result of the assault. Delta has not commented on the suit, but the family hopes that their legal action will ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
