Brade
A California woman recently filed a federal lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a fellow passenger with a known history of in-flight assaults. BARBARA MORGAN claims the incident occurred on April 24, 2024, during an overnight flight from San Francisco to Dallas, where she was assigned a middle seat.
According to a report from affiliate FOX 32 Chicago, CHERIAN ABRAHAM, 54, a Texas man seated next to Morgan, allegedly attempted to touch her multiple times, including trying to put his hand between her legs. Morgan stated she repeatedly yelled for him to stop, but the flight crew failed to intervene. She later accused airline executives of blaming her for not reporting the incident during the flight.
Nearly a year after the alleged assault, Abraham was federally charged with sexually assaulting a different passenger on a March 18 flight from Chicago to Seattle, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The 22-year-old victim claimed Abraham touched her breast three times, leading her to eventually confront him and notify a flight attendant. Despite denying the allegations when questioned by authorities, Abraham faces charges of abusive sexual contact, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison.
Morgan’s attorney, SARAH M. RAISCH, criticized American Airlines for allegedly allowing Abraham to become a “serial predator” on their flights. “When will corporations finally believe women? What needs to happen for corporations to finally take women’s safety seriously?” Raisch told FOX 32 Chicago.
Morgan shared her story to urge corporations to improve their response to such incidents. “It is hard to describe how traumatizing it is to have a stranger touch you like that on a crowded plane, in a confined space, with nowhere to go,” Morgan said. “I felt exposed and yet completely invisible. I felt paralyzed. When the flight landed, and I reported what happened, I hoped American Airlines would step in and, at the very least, tell me they would do better to protect other women. Instead, I was met with cold responses and blame, as if I had done something wrong.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, American Airlines said, “The safety of our customers and team members is our highest priority. We take this matter very seriously and are working closely with law enforcement on its investigation.” A source familiar with the situation confirmed that Abraham has been barred from flying with the airline.
Abraham has been released on bond pending further legal proceedings.
[Sources: FOX 32 Chicago, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington](https://www.fox32chicago.com) | [Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
