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Tabatha Means, a Florida woman, is suing ride-share company Lyft after claiming she was s*xually assaulted by their driver when she was dropped off at her home in 2019. In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, Tabatha Means alleged that on April 28, 2019, her Lyft driver followed her into her home and repeatedly r*ped her while she was intoxicated.
Trigger warning: This story contains details about s**ual assault. Reader discretion is advised
The alleged attack subsequently resulted in a pregnancy and the birth of her youngest son, who was born at just 33 weeks. This allegedly resulted in Means spending almost a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after the premature birth, per the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Means is suing Lyft on multiple grounds, including alleged negligence, breach of contract and strict product liability, intentional and negligent misrepresentation, negligent hiring, and infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
Tabatha Means' allegations against Lyft explored
Outlining the allegations, the lawsuit alleges that on April 28, 2019, Tabath Means requested a ride through the Lyft app back to her residence after a night out drinking. When the driver arrived to pick her up, he allegedly requested she sit in the front seat and began making inappropriate comments and passes that made her uncomfortable.
The suit alleged that when they arrived at the destination, the driver then made several s*xual advances that the victim rejected and got out of the car. The driver then allegedly followed her into her home, where she was repeatedly r*ped and forced to engage in oral s*x. The suit alleged that when Means begged him to stop, he responded by saying:
“It will be just fine and over before you know it.”
In a news conference on Tuesday, Tabatha Means’ attorney, Rachel Abrams, said at the time her client did not file a police report out of fear. The complaint further alleged that a month after the incident, Means discovered that she was pregnant and endured three hemorrhages before prematurely giving birth by emergency C-section.
The suit alleged Means obtained a DNA test to confirm the father of the child, and it revealed the Lyft driver was the father of her son.
“[Means] later obtained an administrative order from Florida’s Child Support Services to obtain a DNA sample from the Lyft driver. The test results revealed the probability of 99.9999999998% that the Lyft driver is the father of [Means’] son.”
Tabatha Means speaks out after filing lawsuit against Lyft
In a press release obtained by PEOPLE, Tabatha Means addressed the incident, saying that every day was a struggle after the attack. She also noted that she often struggles to reconcile her emotions regarding her youngest son, whom she called a blessing but noted was a reminder of the most traumatic time of her life.
"I’m still working to process this trauma, and at the same time, I need to be a mom to my amazing children, including my youngest whose biological father was my ... driver-r*pist. I love my kids so deeply – but there are a lot of mixed emotions when the biggest blessing in your life can also remind you of your darkest hour.”
In a press release, Abrams slammed Lyft background checks, given that the company has aggressively marketed itself as a safe traveling option for people, especially women, who are urged to choose the platform while inebriated.
“Over the years, Lyft has aggressively marketed itself as a safe alternative to driving while intoxicated, and specifically aimed those messages at young women."
Meanwhile, Lyft denied the allegations and defended their safety checks before claiming the driver mentioned in the suit did not work for the company anymore. The ride-sharing company also went on to allege the 2019 incident “did not take place on the Lyft platform while using the Lyft app” but was booked “between the individuals involved.”
In response to Lyft's statement, Tabatha Means’ attorney, Abrams, told PEOPLE the trip was booked through the Lyft app.
