Man with Down syndrome, 33, ‘trapped inside metro station for six days as worker too busy on phone’

A man with Down syndrome was allegedly trapped inside a dark emergency area at a Metro station for six days without food or water.

According to a lawsuit filed by his family, Rashawn Williams became trapped at Glenmont station in Maryland in October 2023 after going missing from his caregiver WeAchieve.

Williams’s father, Jimmy Hall, says the 33-year-old is nonverbal and needs 24-hour supervision.

Hall and Williams’ stepmother, who are his legal guardians, have since filed the suit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which operates the Metro system, and WeAchieve, the nonprofit agency that was responsible for monitoring and caring for Williams.

The lawsuit states that Williams reached the Metro system alone and travelled on a train for several hours.

Shortly after midnight, the train stopped at Glenmont station at the end of its service.

Williams was found 'with bugs nesting in his hair' after six days, according to police (Montgomery County Police)

A Metro worker then allegedly told Williams to get off the train but did not make sure he safely left the station.

Williams appeared confused and later went to a station kiosk looking for help, his family say.

The lawsuit claims the employee working there was on a personal phone call and did not assist him.

He then walked through an emergency exit and entered an ‘Area of Refuge’ where a door locked behind him.

“A modicum of basic communication with Williams to ensure he left the station safely can hardly be considered ‘burdensome’ to WMATA,” US District Judge Paula Xinis said in response to authority’s recent effort to dismiss the suit.

“WMATA employees ignored Williams’ clear signs of distress,” Xinis wrote in a 10-page memorandum.

Williams was 'covered in his own urine and feces'

Williams' father thought his son had died (Montgomery County Police)

“Evidently, no Metro personnel inspected the AOR on the night Williams became trapped, or for six days thereafter.

“Williams had no light, water, food or toilet facilities. Montgomery County Police Department found Williams severely dehydrated and undernourished, ‘covered’ in his own urine and feces, with bugs nesting in his hair.”

On day five, Hall recalled to The Washington Post that he was ‘searching for a body. I was searching for my son’s body’.

“The federal court’s opinion should be a wake-up call to WMATA, which has apparently learned nothing from what happened to Rashawn,” attorney Timothy Maloney told the outlet. “As long as WMATA denies responsibility for disabled patrons like Rashawn, more tragedies are likely in the future.”

At the time of writing, WeAchieve has not filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but stated in an earlier filing that they deny allegations of negligence and blamed the WMATA for any injuries allegedly sustained by Williams.

What is Down's syndrome?

Down's syndrome 'is when you're born with an extra chromosome', according to the NHS.

"You usually get an extra chromosome by chance, because of a change in the sperm or egg before you're born," the health service states.

"This change does not happen because of anything anyone did before or during pregnancy."

It adds: "People with Down's syndrome are likely to have some level of learning disability. This means they'll have a range of abilities.

"Some people will be more independent and do things like get a job. Other people might need more regular care."

LADbible Group has contacted WeAchieve and the WMATA for comment.