California Woman Files Lawsuit Against American Airlines Over Alleged In-Flight Sexual Assault

California Woman Files Lawsuit Against American Airlines Over Alleged In-Flight Sexual Assault

A California woman recently initiated a federal lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a fellow passenger during an overnight flight. This incident has highlighted concerns about a pattern of in-flight assaults that has come to light in recent months.

Barbara Morgan claims the assault occurred on April 24, 2024, while she was assigned a middle seat on a flight from San Francisco to Dallas. Morgan alleges that a Texas man named Cherian Abraham, aged 54, made several unwanted attempts to touch her during the flight, despite her repeated pleas for him to stop. According to a report from an affiliate of FOX 32 Chicago, she states that he attempted to reach between her legs.

In her lawsuit, Morgan accuses the flight crew of failing to intervene during the distressing incident. She also claims that airline executives subsequently attempted to shift the blame onto her for not reporting the incident at the time it occurred.

Escalation of Allegations Against Abraham

Almost a year following the alleged assault involving Morgan, Cherian Abraham was federally charged with sexually assaulting a different passenger on a flight in March. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington reported that Abraham allegedly