A Houston woman, referred to as M.R., has taken legal action against Dollar Tree, claiming she was sexually assaulted by a man who ejaculated on her clothing while shopping at the River Oaks store location last December. As reported by Morningstar, the lawsuit alleges that Dollar Tree is at fault due to negligence, accusing them of maintaining dangerously understaffed stores which have a history of criminal incidents.
The incident occurred as M.R. and her friend were inside the store. According to her account in an interview with FOX 26, a male customer followed her down an aisle, whispering sexually explicit comments before she confronted him and tried to distance herself. The situation escalated after M.R. left the store, when she noticed a cold, sticky substance on her, which a friend identified as semen.
Dollar Tree and the management of the River Oaks shopping plaza, Fidelis Realty Partners, are both named in the lawsuit filed by attorneys at Blizzard Greenberg Law. "It is shocking and despicable," attorney Anna Greenberg criticized,“How was a complete stranger able to violate my client in the middle of a weekday morning? That alone speaks to the fact Dollar Tree is not maintaining a safe environment for the people who shop there.” as she expressed in a statement obtained by Morningstar.
Moreover, the lawsuit highlights that this was not an isolated incident. In her chilling encounter with the store clerk, the clerk exclaimed, "oh, another one...you're the third case in less than four days." as M.R. told FOX 26. Yet, Dollar Tree has reportedly been uncooperative with requests for surveillance video that could aid the investigation into the incident. Since the assault, M.R. has experienced significant emotional distress, including nightmares and anxiety, explaining she is now particularly fearful around men and feels unsafe shopping by herself.
No arrests have been made in connection with the assault at the River Oaks Dollar Tree. Meanwhile, a man was recently apprehended for a comparable crime at an Atlanta Whole Foods, according to a report by Fox 5, implicating the wider issue of safety in public spaces. As these cases gain media attention, both Dollar Tree's corporate office and Fidelis Realty Partners have yet to publicly respond to inquiries from FOX 26 regarding these allegations.
