Parents Suing NFL Stadium Employee Accused of Pulling Down 8-Year-Old's Pants In Bathroom  By Christina Coulter 46

The parents of an 8-year-old boy are suing after they say an NFL stadium employee attempted to sexually assault their son inside a bathroom during a Houston Texans game last month.

The lawsuit, filed Jan. 12 in Harris County, Texas, accuses Ushay Marquise Nixon, 21, of pulling down the boy’s pants and attempting to molest him during the Texans’ Dec. 14 game against the Arizona Cardinals at NRG Stadium, according to USA TODAY, Houston Public Media and Click2Houston.

Nixon, Aramark Sports and Entertainment Services of Texas, LLC and ASM Global Parent Inc. are named as defendants in the civil complaint, Houston Public Media reported.

According to court records cited by the outlets, the boy was attending his first NFL game with his family. His mother escorted him to a men’s restroom during the third quarter and waited outside.

The child later emerged adjusting his pants.

As the family returned to their seats, a bystander approached the boy’s mother and said he had seen her son with an adult employee inside the restroom and that the interaction “didn’t look right,” according to the lawsuit cited by the outlets.

After being questioned by his parents, the boy said a man had pulled down his pants.

The boy’s father then brought him back to the bathroom, where the child identified Nixon as his alleged assailant. According to court records cited by USA TODAY, Nixon allegedly ran and hid inside a storage closet before being apprehended by police.

In a forensic interview with Houston police days later, the boy said the man instructed him to enter a restroom stall.

Inside the locked stall, the man allegedly pulled down the boy’s pants and underwear before lowering his own clothing, prompting the child to flee, according to court documents cited by USA TODAY and Click2Houston.

Surveillance footage later showed a man alleged to be Nixon, wearing a purple polo shirt, entering and exiting the restroom around the time of the alleged incident, according to court records cited by USA TODAY and Click2Houston.

Per Click2Houston, Nixon allegedly later told police he had been working restroom duty that day and asked the boy if he wanted to see his Pokémon card collection, but the child became scared and ran away, USA TODAY reported.

Harris County court records cited by the outlets show Nixon is charged with felony indecency with a child and felony attempted aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. He remains jailed in Harris County while awaiting a scheduled court hearing on Feb. 5.

His criminal defense attorney could not be reached for comment at press time.

The boy’s mother told USA TODAY her son has been having night terrors since the incident and has asked questions like, “Why did God let this happen to me?”

“I feel I failed,” the child’s father told Click2Houston. “I know there was nothing else I could do. I did everything that you think is right, but you’re supposed to protect your children and that day I failed.”

The family’s attorney, Anna Greenberg, said in a statement that the child went to his first NFL game expecting excitement and joy “and instead he was targeted by an employee who never should have been allowed anywhere near children,” Houston Public Media reported.

The lawsuit alleges Aramark was negligent in hiring Nixon and claims both Aramark and ASM Global failed to provide a safe environment at NRG Stadium.

Court records cited by Houston Public Media and Click2Houston show Nixon had previously been charged in 2022 with indecency with a child and indecent assault, though those charges were later dismissed.

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In a statement, Aramark said it is aware of the “very disturbing situation,” confirmed Nixon is no longer employed by the company, and said it is fully cooperating with authorities, Houston Public Media and Click2Houston reported.

ASM Global did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Houston police have asked anyone with information about the case to contact the department’s Special Victims Unit.