As the following Complaint alleges, the subject rape occurred at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort in Nassau, Bahamas and occurred when the minor Plaintiff was a hotel guest at the subject resort staying with her family.
In the early morning hours of April 4, 2021, T.H. briefly left her hotel room and went to the lobby to chat on the phone with a friend. She left her room barefoot – expecting to be back in her room within a few minutes.
Shortly thereafter, however, a 58-year-old man Henry Richard “Ricky” Nixon targeted T.H and struck up a conversation in the hotel and lured her to a (closed) poolside cabana and then overpowered and raped her.
The victim’s father immediately began to search for his daughter when it was discovered she was not in her room at that hour. After pinpointing her location using a cellphone, he found Nixon raping his daughter in the cabana.
After the father ripped Nixon off, he found his daughter curled up on the ground, crying and in disarray, with her undergarments pushed to the side.
Security was immediately alerted and local authorities were notified.
Nixon was apprehended later that day and charged with statutory rape. He is currently awaiting criminal trial in the Bahamas. Trial is currently set for May 2022.
The family has filed this Lawsuit against Hyatt for its negligent failure(s) to prevent the rape in light of the near total absence of any security at the hotel.
As the Complaint alleges, Nixon had no business being on the Baha Mar property. The subject rape occurred in the wee hours of the morning – when on-site bars and restaurants were and/or should have been closed. Nixon, as a Bahamian local, was not allowed to gamble on site under Bahamian law. Nixon was also known in the community as a small-time drug peddler. As such, there was no reason for him to be on this property, other than to engage in criminal activity. Nixon was also likely there to target a young victim, like T.H.
Hyatt Corporation knew or should have known his dangerous motive(s).
Hyatt boasts its ability to provide families with a safe vacation, yet there were no security personnel which intervened to prevent this preventable crime.
Hyatt’s failure to take reasonable and necessary precaution caused T.H. to suffer a horrific, life-altering event
The victim’s father is willing to speak to the media as needed (as long as full anonymity is maintained).
