A married cruise ship passenger claims a bartender on board the Margaritaville at Sea sneaked into her cabin, raped her and then forced her to have an abortion.
The West Virginia woman, identified only as Jane Doe, was arrested by the cruise company after bartender Hubesh Kumar Dookie pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a flight attendant on the same night last May. filed a federal lawsuit against Classica.
She was initially classified as a witness to the assault, but decided to sue after Dookie's conviction, attorney Spencer Aaronfeld said. told the Palm Beach Post..
After the alleged rape, Doe “became pregnant, was forced to have an abortion, and suffered severe complications,” according to the complaint obtained by the newspaper.
According to the complaint, Ms. Doe and her companion (“HB”) purchased alcoholic beverages on May 5th while sailing on Sea Paradise's Margaritaville from Riviera Beach, Florida to the Bahamas.
“Both charged drinks based on their cabin number, thereby allowing the flight attendants who staffed the bar to have access to their shared cabin number and room key,” the filing states.
After finishing their drinks, the women returned to their hut, but Dukki reportedly entered there during the night.
The Palm Beach Post reported that Doe told the FBI that she woke up to find Dookie fondling her face and sexually assaulting her. She said she asked him to leave but he moved to HB's bed and assaulted her as well.
According to the report, Doe reported the incident to the ship's security the next day.
According to the Palm Beach newspaper, authorities found a key to the girls' room in Dookie's vest pocket and a cellphone photo of the bartender next to HB sleeping naked.
Dookie later claimed that his encounter with HB was consensual.
He initially faced the possibility of life in prison on sexual abuse charges. But his most serious charges were dropped in a deal in November in which he pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact.
Dookie faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at a sentencing hearing next Thursday.
The media outlet said U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg rejected HB's own claim for punitive damages against Classica, but the media outlet continues to seek compensatory damages.
Aaronfeld said the judge's decision does not prevent Doe from seeking punitive damages, calling the two cases “very different.”
She has “suffered physical, emotional and psychological pain,” as well as “embarrassment, humiliation, and persistent psychological distress,” “exacerbation and activation of pre-existing conditions, and persistent disability while continuing to live a normal life.” “I can't do that,” he claims.
Aaronfeld said her client had not had a paternity test, but said she planned to testify that she had no sexual activity with her husband before or after the alleged rape, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Doe is seeking a jury trial and $75,000 in damages from Classica.
Classica and Margaritaville at Sea did not respond to requests for comment.
