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A few weeks after a similar lawsuit was first filed by the parents of a teen boy who was stabbed last December at a local mall, the family of the second victim, a teen girl, has also filed a suit claiming the South Bay Galleria was obligated to protect the youngsters.
The negligence and premises liability suit was brought in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday against Forest City Enterprises, landlord of the Redondo Beach shopping center, as well as Andrews International, Inc., which provides security, according to City News Service.
The plaintiff is identified as "Emeline V." and seeks unspecified damages.
The 13-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, identified in his suit as "Ricky W.," were victims of a random attack by an unknown assailant wielding a kitchen knife who slashed them while they were outside the AMC Theatres on the mall's third level about 7:25 p.m. on December 29, 2012.
The newly-filed complaint says the teen girl was "stabbed multiple times."
The families of both teens are using the same lawyer, Michael Adler. Both lawsuits assert that the South Bay Galleria and its management and security had an obligation to keep the children safe and warn them of any potential dangers.
The mall's website states that customer safety and convenience is the company's "number one priority" and that it provides patrons with 24-hour protection.
The suspect in the attack remains at large. He is described as a tall black male in his 40s, with a medium build. He had a graying beard and a mustache and he may have been wearing prescription glasses. The attacker was seen wearing a knit cap, a green/brown "fatigue-type jacket" that was not camouflaged, blue jeans and a black T-shirt.
A $25,000 reward was put up in late January to help encourage anyone with information about the assailant to contact authorities.
Previously
Parents of Teen Stabbed at South Bay Galleria Say the Mall Was Obligated to Protect Their Son
$25K Reward Offered in Case of Stabbing Attack on 2 Teens at Local Mall
Two 13-Year-Olds Stabbed by Man with Kitchen Knife at Local Mall
