Filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by attorneys Jarvis & Krieger, PC, plaintiff Edwina McCombs claims that during a visit to California from her home in Tennessee, her daughters turned on the TV and were directly exposed to hardcore gay porn.
McCombs is suing the Value Lodge and all related entities for negligence and unspecified damages.
In her complaint, she says her two children, ages eight and 10, were subjected to close-up images of people having sex and that the motel did nothing to warn her that porn was readily available without registration or pre-payment.
The incident took place at the Value Lodge on Artesia Blvd. in the city of Artesia, Calif.
McCombs further claims she informed the front desk before checking in that she was traveling with children and that nothing was done to filter adult programming in her hotel room.
McCombs' attorney Scott Jarvis told XBIZ it is not known how long the children were left unattended in front of the adult film, but that the mother was absent for about 45 minutes.
“It was a considerable amount of time,” Jarvis said. “There was no signage and no consent was required. They had a duty to protect their guests from harm. Even after having the knowledge there were young children in the room, they failed to block this offensive material.”
Jarvis believes that having free porn on television is part of Value Lodge’s business practice and that it should be stopped.
“We think they do this to solicit the type of client who doesn’t have any money and who wants to engage in whatever type of activity – similar to a rent by the hour hotel.”
The Artesia Blvd. address for the Value Lodge has been served, and Jarvis said that other entities would soon be involved in the suit.
"Value Lodge was negligent in failing to use preventative measures to restrict a child from accessing adult television channels,” Jarvis said. “At the very least, there should be signs alerting parents to the content of the television stations in the room.”