CHARLESTON – The parents of a youth football cheerleader says the girl and her teammates were the victims of racial discrimination by a South Charleston hotel.
Christopher Clemons and K. Cross, as parents of R.C., filed their complaint December 14 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Hope Carroll and Chesapeake Hospitality LLC doing business as Holiday Inn and Suites Charleston West. Carroll is general manager of the hotel.
“There is no justice without accountability,” attorney Michael Cary, who is representing the plaintiffs, told The West Virginia Record. “I cannot believe this is still happening to our children in 2022.
Michael Cary
| / Courtesy photo
“I will stand with our community and hold the Holiday Inn and Suites accountable for their discriminatory conduct toward African-American children so that justice will be served.”
According to the complaint, the girl R.C. was a cheerleader for the Dunbar Bullpups C Team football team. On November 27, cheer team director Courtney Williams made a reservation for three rooms at a discounted rate. The complaint says the hotel touts itself on social media as encouraging sports teams to stay and enjoy its accommodations.
At the time of the booking, Williams told hotel staff the cheerleading team would be celebrating winning first place in its recent grand championship with a pool party and slumber party for the 25 girls who are between the ages of 5 and 7. She also said five adult chaperones would accompany the cheerleaders.
On December 3, Williams arrived to ensure the rooms were ready and talked to hotel staff about having enough beds for the girls. She says she was told additional cots would be provided.
“There were no issues raised by the staff regarding the number of children or adults staying overnight or the pool party planned for the evening,” the complaint states. “When the first three Caucasian children arrived with their parents to check in, the staff greeted them with welcoming smiles and friendly salutations.
“Shortly thereafter, the African-American children began to arrive with their families and entered the hotel lobby and only then did defendant Hope Carroll stop the children and adults in the lobby and stated, ‘This is going to end badly.’”
According to the complaint, Carroll began telling the girls they were breaking numerous rules and needed to leave the hotel immediately.
“Immediately, the young children began crying out of fear and confusion,” the complaint states. “Multiple parents and adults asked what rules were allegedly being broken or some sort of explanation from defendant Carroll.
“Instead, she refused to answer any questions, proceeded to talk directly to the young girls and ‘shoo’ them out of the front door, forcing the crying children out into the cold at night.
“The frightened and heartbroken young girls had not even made it past the main hotel lobby to take their coats and backpacks off before being asked to leave by defendant Carroll.”
Some of the children tried to send text messages to their parents but couldn’t because they hadn’t been there long enough to connect to the hotel Wi-Fi, according to the complaint.
“Williams immediately called the hotel and spoke to defendant Carroll to address the situation and ask what she could do to resolve any issues,” the complaint states. “Defendant Carroll again refused to answer what rules were allegedly being violated, and she instead stated that they all had to leave.
“Defendant Carroll’s racist and inhumane treatment of the minor children caused fear, confusion, and extreme mental anguish for the children, the adults present, and the parents of the children.”
Cary said a quick social media search uncovered more information about Carroll.
“There is a fundamental expectation of decency and respect when a national hotel chain hires a general manager,” he told The Record. “It took my office 30 seconds to learn that Hope Carroll follows and likes several known extremist hate groups on Facebook.
“The Holiday Inn and Suites must be liable for the person they put behind the desk to greet these young African-American girls. Recipes for hate will always generate hate.”
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of unlawful discrimination in violation of the West Virginia Human Rights Act and of negligence. They also accuse the defendant company of negligent hiring, supervision and retention.
They say they have suffered psychological injuries, pain and suffering, emotional and mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, indignity, embarrassment, humiliation, annoyance, shame, inconvenience and other injuries. They seek compensatory damages, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief
The plaintiffs are being represented by Cary of Cary Law Office in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 22-C-1025