Lawsuit alleges employees, security guard at Rodeway Inn did nothing while elderly woman was sexually assaulted

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An investigation is ongoing after a woman was attacked, dragged, and raped at a Miami-Dade County motel.

The attack on the 67-year-old woman was horrific, and it all happened in a hallway at the Roadway Inn in Northwest Miami-Dade.

Local 10 News obtained surveillance video from the scene, showing the woman first being yanked by her hair.

Attorney Justin Shapiro has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the hotel.

“You saw our client was beaten sexually assaulted in the hallways of this hotel,” Shapiro said. “What’s most shocking about this is that the hotel representatives knew what was happening they were there. She’s screaming for her life, and they froze.”

This viscous attack happened Saturday, July 10. The victim was at the hotel on vacation with her husband.

“The victim had no choice but to perform oral sex. It’s on video and there are no words,” said Shapiro. “One of the most savage attacks I have ever seen.”

Authorities arrested Travon Smith for the attack.

Mugshot for Travon Smith. (Miami-Dade County Corrections)

According to police, the victim’s husband opened his hotel room door and was greeted with a punch from Smith, who then, “bit him on the back of his neck with his teeth,” according to an arrest report.

The lawsuit reads the victim was “screaming for help but neither the hotel representatives nor the security guard took any action whatsoever... as they watched this attack unfold less than five feet away.”

The female victim suffered severe injuries as a result of the attack.

“Her face was bitten, her head was slammed into the floor,” Shapiro said. “She is an absolute mess, as you can imagine.”

A GoFundMe page was created to help the victims with the mounting hospital bills. To visit the page, click here.


About the Author

Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering news for nearly two decades in South Florida. He joined Local 10 in 2021.

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