Woman sues over daughter's sexual assault

CHARLESTON -- A Charleston woman is suing the Billiards Club Corporation after her daughter was sexually assaulted in an apartment building.

Andrew Ryan Nomar; John C. Mawyer; Michael J. Schultz; John Doe, apartment management company; and John Doe, apartment manager, were also named as defendants in the suit.

On May 23, 2010, Autumn R., a minor, was walking down the hallway in her apartment building when she was approached by Nomar, the stepson of the building's maintenance man, according to a complaint filed May 23 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Lisa Shaffer, Autumn R.'s mother, claims Nomar persuaded her to accompany him to an empty apartment located on the third floor of the apartment building where he was allegedly doing his laundry.

Nomar had private access to the empty third floor apartment because he had been provided with a key by the apartment manager and/or apartment manager company, who had done so with the express or implied consent of the Billiards Club Corporation, Mawyer and Schultz, according to the suit.

Shaffer claims upon persuading her daughter to enter the empty third floor apartment, Nomar proceeded to confine Autumn R. to the apartment against her will and sexually assaulted her.

Nomar was subsequently criminally charged for his sexual assault and was sentenced to a one-year term of incarceration, according to the suit.

Shaffer claims the sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment caused her daughter severe mental anguish; pain and suffering; insult; indignity; and humiliation.

Shaffer is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Troy N. Giatras.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod J. Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 11-C-844