The Houston law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is hosting a press conference on Thursday, April 11 th at 12:00 p.m. (CST) to discuss the lawsuit. .
(Houston, TX) Houston attorneys Mo Aziz and Ciro Samperi of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner are representing Maria Pelayo in her lawsuit against 24 Hour Fitness and Jason Smart, a manager of the 24 Hour Fitness location, for failing to keep their facility secure.
On September 24, 2018, Ms. Pelayo was showering in the women-only shower following a workout at the 24 Hour Fitness club located at 2500 Dunstan Road in Houston, Texas. During her shower, Ms. Pelayo looked down and saw a cell phone aimed at her. She screamed, jumped out of the shower, and saw a man dressed similar to a 24 Hour Fitness employee holding a cell phone. After putting on her clothes, she went to the front desk seeking assistance. The front desk employee informed Ms. Pelayo she could view the security camera recordings to determine the identity of the perpetrator. After waiting for several minutes, a 24 Hour Fitness manager, Mr. Smart, came out of his office and told Ms. Pelayo she would not be allowed to view the security cameras as the security cameras were not working. 24 Hour Fitness has since not contributed to helping Ms. Pelayo find the perpetrator.
When a member signs up for a membership at this 24 Hour Fitness location they often receive a tour of the gym which boasts the security of the facility. In addition to showing off their workout equipment, employees focus on features meant to make clients feel safe such as: security cameras, thumbprint sensors, front desk personnel, and a security guard in the parking garage. The whole tour is designed to tell potential customers that this is a place where they can feel safe when working out. Unfortunately, as Maria Pelayo learned, 24 Hour Fitness’ commitment to security ends with the sale.
The press conference is open to all media and will be held on Thursday, April 11 th at 12:00 p.m. (CST) at the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, located at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, TX 77002. .
Ms. Pelayo, previously identified as an anonymous woman, will be present at the press conference and will be making a public statement..
For questions regarding the lawsuit, please contact Madison Kauffman at (713) 222-7211 or by email at [email protected].