An Orlando father has launched a wrongful-death lawsuit against the company that manages the Palmetto at Lakeside apartments, accusing the complex of failing to protect its residents two years after his 13-year-old daughter was attacked there and later died. Filed this week in Orange County, the complaint points to what it describes as a pattern of violence at the property and seeks damages under Florida's Wrongful Death Act.
The case centers on Rose Dieujuste, who was found with severe injuries inside a utility closet on the Palmetto grounds on July 4, 2024, and later died. Her family says the suit is intended to hold the property operator accountable for what it calls negligent security.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The complaint claims the apartment management breached its duty to residents by allowing nonresidents to move freely through the complex and by failing to intervene when a man "walked with a knife" across the grounds, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. At the time of the attack, Orange County Sheriff John Mina told reporters, "She had been stabbed, and she was barely alive," adding that Rose had been on her way to visit a friend in the building.
The filing names the property's management company as the defendant and seeks relief under Florida law for the teenager's death.
Criminal Case Background
Authorities arrested 28-year-old Jerry Dorisme shortly after the July 4, 2024, attack. He was later indicted on charges that include first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery, and has pleaded not guilty, WESH reported.
Deputies said Rose was found stabbed and partially clothed and was taken to a hospital, where she later died. The criminal case against Dorisme remains pending while the family’s civil claim against the apartment operator moves ahead on a separate track.
Property History and Alleged Security Failures
The lawsuit highlights that the complex was declared a "public nuisance" in 2023 and says management was ordered to hire off-duty deputies as a security measure. According to WKMG ClickOrlando, the complaint alleges the property stopped paying those deputies in May 2024, leaving the site without that protection in June.
The filing also cites more than 2,418 crimes reported within a one-mile radius of the complex, including aggravated assaults, burglaries and sexual batteries, and says many of those offenses occurred on or near the property itself. News 6 reports it reached out to the apartment management for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Legal Implications
The civil action is brought as a wrongful-death suit under Florida law, which allows surviving family members to seek damages when a death is caused by another party's negligence. At the same time, Florida's 2023 legal reforms added a provision that gives multifamily property owners a presumption against liability if they can show they substantially implemented a set list of security measures.
How the court applies those protections could be key in this case. For statutory background, see the relevant sections of the Florida Statutes on multifamily property safety and the Florida Wrongful Death Act.
What Happens Next
The filing of the complaint kicks off a civil process that could involve months of discovery, depositions, and court motions before any settlement or trial. The criminal prosecution of Dorisme continues separately and remains active. The family’s lawsuit, meanwhile, seeks its own measure of accountability focused squarely on the operators of the Palmetto at Lakeside apartments.
