A South Carolina family has filed a lawsuit against Uber, claiming that their two daughters, both under 14, were trafficked using the ride-share service.
Attorney Tracey Cowan calls it a nightmare case of child sex trafficking. The lawsuit alleges that Fayvion Jarrod Williams paid for an Uber to transport the girls from South Carolina to his home in North Carolina. The Uber driver reportedly did not cancel the ride despite the girls’ ages.
Cowan stated, “The girls were given drugs, and the 12-year-old was raped, beaten, spit on, and the assault was filmed and shared by the perpetrator.”
She emphasized the role of Uber in facilitating the crime, saying, “Traffickers find it easier than ever to transport victims using ride-share services.” Williams was arrested in November 2023, pleaded guilty to all charges, and was sentenced to 6 to 8 years in prison.
The victims’ family is suing Uber for its role in transporting the girls across state lines.
Kris Ballew, from the sex trafficking advocacy group Switch, highlighted the growing issue, noting that the average age of trafficking victims is now between 12 and 16 years old. She stressed the importance of monitoring social media interactions and ride-share usage to protect children from traffickers.
“Parents need to be vigilant about who their children are interacting with online and ensure they have access to their social media accounts,” Ballew advised.