Marriott sued for alleged security failures that led to violent abduction and assault

Morgan & Morgan has filed a lawsuit against a Marriott hotel for its alleged negligence and lack of security leading to the abduction and assault of a guest.

On November 7, 2025, the Plaintiff checked into the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Complaint states that in the early morning hours of the following day, the hotel’s front desk also issued a room key to the Plaintiff’s former partner, John Doe, without permission. While Plaintiff was asleep, Doe used the key to open the door. Though the safety latch initially prevented the door from opening fully, the Plaintiff alleges that despite calling the front desk for help, Doe eventually forced his way into the room, abducted the Plaintiff from the hotel, brought her to a new location, and violently assaulted her.

The lawsuit asserts that HADICO Holdings (owner), Luxury Hotels (management company), and Marriott International (franchisor) failed to maintain reasonable safety policies—including guest-room access, identity verification, and emergency response—that could have prevented the violent attack on the Plaintiff.

A copy of the complaint is attached and a statement from Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Thomas Hasty follows:

“The Complaint sets forth that the violent abduction and assault of our client was entirely preventable had the hotel followed the most basic security standards of their industry. By disregarding these security measures, the hotel enabled a violent assault that severely injured our client, shattered her sense of safety and left her with lifelong trauma. We will fight to hold these defendants accountable for their alleged gross negligence and irreparable harm to our client.”