A former University of Cincinnati student has filed civil lawsuits against UC and the management company that runs The Deacon, arguing that lax security and housing decisions opened the door to a violent sexual assault inside the off-campus complex where she lived as a first-year student. According to the complaint, the attack happened in 2023 while the student, who was 17 at the time, was inside her apartment. Her family says it plans to hold a news conference this week to discuss the filings.
WLWT reports that the suit names both the University of Cincinnati and Yugo, which manages The Deacon, and claims UC placed freshmen in the privately owned complex because it had more incoming students than available on-campus housing. The lawsuit also alleges the building's owners "knowingly ignored lax security" and that managers were already aware of a man who repeatedly trespassed on the property.
Prosecutors' account
Prosecutors have previously said 24-year-old Kadarius Short got into The Deacon on Aug. 24, 2023 by posing as a resident adviser, then walked into the student's apartment, strangled her with a phone charging cord and raped her after implying he had a firearm. Short then allegedly tried to send himself money through apps on the victim’s phone and forced her to withdraw $400 from an ATM before fleeing. He was later indicted on multiple counts, including rape, kidnapping and robbery, and has been held on a $1.3 million bond, as reported by FOX19.
Where it happened
The Deacon is a privately owned, apartment-style student complex marketed as "Yugo Cincinnati Deacon" and listed at 424 Straight St, one block west of UC's main campus. The property’s official listing and contact information appear on Yugo, which describes the complex as a purpose-built student community with on-site security and resident amenities.
Legal claims and next steps
The complaint accuses UC and Yugo of negligence and seeks to hold both the university and the building’s owners responsible. The family’s news conference is scheduled for Wednesday, according to WLWT. Civil filings tied to incidents like this are handled through the county courts at the Hamilton County Courthouse, which oversees Common Pleas and municipal civil matters for downtown Cincinnati residents, visitors and businesses, as outlined by Hamilton County Courts.
Resources and context
Hamilton County prosecutors have urged any additional victims to come forward, and UC maintains campus victim-services resources for students, according to local reporting. Anyone with information about the case can contact Cincinnati police or the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, and the prosecutor’s office has asked potential additional victims to reach out to investigators, as detailed by WCPO.
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