The family of a soldier who was sexually harassed at her Texas military base and later killed by a fellow soldier have filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against the US government.
The lawsuit seeks $35 million in damages, KHOU reported.
The lawsuit claims that 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen was sexually harassed at Fort Hood and that military leaders failed to address the situation. In April 2020, fellow soldier Aaron Robinson killed her with a hammer when he feared she would report his relationship with the estranged wife of another soldier. Robinson’s girlfriend helped him dismember her body and bury it off base, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
Her remains were found in July, and Robinson killed himself as officers closed in on him. His girlfriend, Cecily Anne Aguilar, has been charged with a federal count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
Vanessa Guillen’s sister Mayra tweeted about the lawsuit Friday night, saying “the fight is no where near over. The nightmare is still persistent today but a promise is a promise. I love you so much sister. I really wished you were here alive.”
https://t.co/O7Pqbx29HW We officially filled today 8/12/2022, it’s still unbelievable to me but the fight is no where near over. The nightmare is still persistent today but a promise is a promise. I love you so much sister. I really wished you were here alive. #IamVanessaGuillen
— Mayra Guillen (@mguilen_) August 12, 2022
The lawsuit describes Guillen’s struggles with sexual harassment and her suicidal thoughts coping with it. She did not initially report the harassment, the family said, because she feared retaliation, KHOU reported.
The family’s lawsuit “will be an opportunity for every victim to feel not only like they have a voice but that they can be made whole,” attorney Natalie Khawam said.
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[Featured image: Vanessa Guillen/US Army]
