McDonald's Sued for Failing To Protect 15-Year-Old Worker From Another Colleague, a Registered Sex Offender

A lawsuit has been filed against McDonald's and one of its franchisees after it allegedly failed to protect a young employee from a colleague, who was a registered sex offender.

McDonald's Sued for Employing Registered Sex Offender

The lawsuit accused the fast food giant and its franchisee McKinney Restaurant Management of putting a 15-year-old employee at risk after they hired registered sex offender 28-year-old Eric Price. The lawsuit was filed in Robertson County.

The assault allegedly happened in April 2023 when Price sexually assaulted the 15-year-old, whose identity was not publicly revealed, while they were working at a McDonald's restaurant in Hearne, TX.

"This case reveals a shocking level of negligence that directly endangered a vulnerable child," attorney Will Calderon, who is representing the 15-year-old victim and her family, said, as quoted by news outlet KBTX.

"As the nation's largest employer of children, McDonald's has a paramount responsibility to protect its young workers. We are determined to hold them accountable and advocate for essential policy reforms to ensure the safety of all minor employees," he added.

Prior to being hired by McDonald's, Price was convicted of two sex crimes involving minors. In February 2014, he was given five years of probation and community supervision on charges of indecency with a child by exposure, per information from the Texas Public Safety's Sex Offender Registry. The victim in that case was aged 13.

In 2016, Price was put on a six-year parole/mandatory supervision on a charge of sexual assault of a child. The victim was 15 years old.

McDonald's Response

McDonald's denied any wrongdoing, adding that it does not oversee the daily operations and hiring decisions of its individual franchises.

Calderon claimed McDonald's also blamed the 15-year-old and alleged that the teen engaged in improper conduct that resulted in her getting raped by Price. He also claimed the parents of the teen as well as those of the other underage workers at the franchisee were not informed that a twice-convicted registered sex offender was also an employee.

McKinney Restaurant Management also denied the allegations.

The lawsuit is seeking $1 million in damages and is demanding a jury trial. The case is currently pending in the 82nd Judicial Court.