A Miami-Dade County jury ordered a Hialeah motel must pay the parents of a woman who was murdered $12 million due to its staffs' negligence in preventing her death.
The Haggard Law Firm, which represented the parents of 30-year-old victim Yaimi Guevara Machado, said the jury reached the verdict late Friday in the wrongful death negligent security lawsuit filed against the Chesapeake Motel, located at 935 W. Okeechobee Road.
"On April 10, 2016, the 30-year-old Machado was locked out of her hotel room only wearing a bra and jeans when she asked the staff of the Hialeah motel for help," the law firm said in a statement. "They refused. Moments later, police say, she was beaten to death by Ronald Lopez Andrade who has been charged with first-degree murder."
The family filed the lawsuit against the owners because they believed the motel's staff had multiple opportunities to prevent Machado's death.
The lawsuit alleged that staff sold Andrade alcohol, attempted to help him find a prostitute and allowed Andrade to linger on motel property despite him not being a guest.
The family also alleged staff did not kick Andrade out of the property after he sought sexual favors from a housekeeper.
"Machado’s parents, Julia Machado and Rafael Guevara, hope their successful lawsuit sends a message to budget motels to follow the best practices in the lodging industry to provide the security that will help prevent tragedies like these from destroying another family," the law firm added.
