Houston Methodist employee who survived stabbing attack in parking garage sues TMC

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Baleigh Burmaster, the Houston Methodist veterinary technician who was a victim of a violent attack inside a Texas Medical Center (TMC) parking garage, has filed a lawsuit against TMC.

The video above is from a previous report.

In the lawsuit, Burmaster alleged inadequate security in one of its public parking garages allowed a violent attack that nearly claimed her life.

On May 11, Burmaster parked on the fifth floor of the garage. According to records, she was on the driver’s side getting her stuff when she was approached by the alleged suspect, 46-year-old Perry Green.

Documents state Burmaster was startled and fell from the driver’s side to the passenger side of the vehicle, and Green allegedly forced her back into her vehicle and violently attacked her for 10 to 15 minutes before she managed to escape and run for help.

According to the lawsuit, TMC failed to provide reasonable security measures in Parking Garage 1, including operational surveillance cameras, security personnel, and adequate monitoring.

The lawsuit adds that “lighting conditions were so low and poor, and the sun had not yet risen to provide any natural light, creating a foreseeable and dangerous ‘hunting ground’ for the very class of violence offenders.”

According to documents, due to TMC’s “failure to secure the premises, this offender (Green) entered the garage hours prior through the Fannin street-level entrance with zero resistance.”

The lawsuit further alleges that Burmaster’s screams for help went unanswered because no one was monitoring the garage during the attack.

During the attack, Green zip-tied her hands together, to which Burmaster began hitting her head on the steering wheel to honk the horn to “alert anyone nearby of the attack, and the horn went off a number of times. Just as with her unanswered screams, no one heard the horn or came to her aid,” the lawsuit alleges.

Green allegedly asked Burmaster for her debit cards and keys, and once he had them, he started the vehicle's engine. She told police she was screaming through the whole incident but eventually managed to open the passenger door using her toes and flee to find help, court records state.

As a result, Burmaster suffered severe injuries and continues receiving medical treatment and counseling. The lawsuit seeks more than $10 million in damages for her injuries, trauma and other losses.

Houston Methodist issued the following statement in response:

"While we cannot provide comment on pending litigation, the safety and security of everyone who works, receives care, studies and visits the Texas Medical Center campus remains a top priority."