A Maryland family is suing the company responsible for their son’s care and the transit agency after their son with Down syndrome was trapped in a Metro station for six days. Rashawn Williams, 31, wandered away from his temporary residence at the Residence Inn in Silver Spring on October 20, 2023.

Disappearance and Discovery

Williams was found in a storage area of the Glenmont Metro station six days later, in what the lawsuit describes as ‘horrific conditions.’ He had been trapped without food or water and was covered in urine and feces. The lawsuit states that Williams had only the clothes he was wearing and no phone or other technology to assist in tracking him.

The lawsuit claims that the caregiver at WeAchieve Inc., the company responsible for Williams’ care, left him unsupervised to retrieve a bathroom key, allowing Williams to walk away. The caregiver did not call Williams’ parents until over an hour after he was last seen, despite being required to do so by state regulations.

Lawsuit Allegations

The lawsuit alleges that both WeAchieve and the transit agency, Metro, were negligent in their care of Williams. The lawsuit states that Metro employees failed to follow established protocols, which would have led to Williams being found the same night he went missing. The lawsuit also claims that the station manager at the Glenmont Metro station ignored Williams, who was visibly disabled and confused, and did not offer any assistance.

The family is seeking a jury trial and monetary damages from both WeAchieve and Metro. The ordeal has had a significant impact on Williams, who now experiences panic episodes, changes to his eating habits, and stays awake at night.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.