CINCINNATI — When Chloe arrived at the University of Cincinnati as a 17-year-old freshman, she believed she would be living in university housing.
Instead, she said she was placed in a privately owned apartment building just off campus, The Deacon, — a distinction she and her family said they didn't fully understand until after a violent assault changed her life.
Now, nearly three years later, Chloe is speaking publicly for the first time as she and her family refile lawsuits against the University of Cincinnati and the companies that own and manage The Deacon, arguing the attack exposed a larger issue they believe students and parents should know before moving onto campus.
WCPO is using the victim's and her parents' first names, given the case's sensitive nature.
"Ultimately, the goal here today is to bring awareness so that this never happens again," Chloe said Wednesday.
According to the lawsuits, UC required Chloe, an out-of-town freshman, to live in university housing during her first year. The complaints allege she was assigned to The Deacon after campus residence halls filled up and that neither she nor her family understood the building was privately owned rather than university-operated.
WATCH: Chloe spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday
The lawsuits further allege security at The Deacon differed significantly from university residence halls. Unlike on-campus dorms, the complaints say the University of Cincinnati Police Department was not responsible for routine security inside the building.
You can read the full lawsuit against the University of Cincinnati below:
Instead, the lawsuits allege private companies were responsible for security despite longstanding problems that included malfunctioning key fob access, repeated unauthorized entry into the building and previous reports of violent crime.
Steve Crandall, Chloe's attorney, said those differences were never made clear.
"If you went to the University of Cincinnati housing website in 2023 — or even today — it specifically says UC is handling security and maintenance at The Deacon," he said. "What we found in discovery is that it is completely untrue."
On August 24, 2023, Kadarius Short, then 24, posed as a resident advisor and knocked on Chloe's door in the early morning hours. Believing he was responding to a noise complaint, she let him inside.
Short pleaded guilty to rape, robbery and other charges in June 2025 and is serving a prison sentence.
Crandall said evidence gathered during discovery led his legal team to voluntarily dismiss the original lawsuit and re-file it after obtaining thousands of additional records and surveillance clips late in the case.
He said one of the firm's goals is to hear from current and former residents who experienced security problems at The Deacon.
"We're hopeful this case brings transparency," Crandall said. "Parents deserve to know whether they're sending their child to a university residence hall or a privately owned apartment building where security may be handled very differently."
You can read the full lawsuit against the companies that manage The Deacon below:
For Chloe's parents, the lawsuit is about more than seeking damages.
"When you're taking your child to school for the first time, you have an expectation that you're taking them somewhere where they're going to be safe," Chloe's father John said. "We feel they failed."
The lawsuits argue the assault was preventable, alleging that Short had repeatedly entered The Deacon without authorization before the attack and was known to security personnel. The complaints further allege the building's owners failed to preserve most surveillance video from the night of the assault, despite a camera system with dozens of cameras throughout the property.
Crandall said the case raises broader questions as universities across the country increasingly rely on privately owned apartment complexes to house students.
"Students and parents have a right to know who owns and operates the dorm they are being placed in, so they can decide where to live," Crandall said.
Those concerns are not new at The Deacon.
Over the past several years, WCPO has reported on controversies at the apartment complex, including management revoking free garage parking and past move-in disasters requiring emergency intervention from the UC.
In 2022, incoming UC students were met with unfinished, uncleaned and damaged apartments, including significant water damage from leaking HVAC systems and sprinklers, which resulted in some students having to temporarily relocate to hotels.
The University of Cincinnati declined to comment because of the pending litigation. WCPO also reached out to representatives for The Deacon and its management companies but has not yet received a response.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
