Suit: Hilton Inn defamed employee with false theft accusation

A hotel employee says her employer falsely accused her of stealing items from a guest's

room in a libel and defamation suit filed at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Khadijah Jenkins-Wright, of Crittenden Street in Philadelphia, seeks damages for her managers’ allegedly defamatory actions, accusations that put her in a false light among her co-workers and intentionally inflicting her emotional distress.

According to the claim, Jenkins-Wright worked at the Hilton Inn at Penn with a clean record until August 7, 2013, when she was arrested by the Philadelphia Police and terminated by her supervisors. The complaint says that one of her managers called the police over suspicions that Jenkins-Wright conspired with another person to enter a guest’s empty room and steal an Apple iPad.

The police charged Jenkins-Wright on six counts, including theft, criminal trespassing, criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property. All charges were dropped a month later due to lack of evidence, and the hotel rehired Jenkins-Wright, where she continues to work.

The plaintiff says the false accusations continue to cause her emotional distress and has damaged her good name. The incident violated her right to privacy by placing Jenkins-Wright in a false light amongs her fellow employees and supervisors, forcing her to experience great embarrassment and mental anguish by having to explain the circumstances surrounding her arrest and termination.

Jenkins-Wright is represented by Michael Bowman of Bowman & Partners in Philadelphia.

The case ID number is 140501834.