PASCO COUNTY, Fla. -- A Florida woman says she was groped repeatedly inside Scream-A-Geddon's interactive haunted house in Pasco County.
The victim, Lauren, who we are only using her first name, said she was inside one of the popular interactive rooms where actors are able to touch you.
"I didn't know what to say or do, because I consented to being touched," she told ABC Action News reporter Nicole Grigg.
Lauren said she was inside the Black Pool Prison, where people with glow necklaces give consent to be "grabbed, held back, sent into hidden cells, removed from their group..."
"At that moment, I put the necklace on, and one of the scare actors, came out from the house, grabbed me from my friends and took me inside the house," she said.
Lauren said from there, an actor grabbing her lower back, then went lower.
She explains what happened to her very descriptively but says it is important for others to understand what she says she went through.
"Then he leads me into a jail cell, and he reaches down again for a fuller grab, down the crevice of my butt, and into the cheek, and he gropes me again," Lauren said.
A Pasco County Sheriff's spokesperson confirms they are investigating an incident from October 3 that is a battery investigation.
The report states Lauren told the sheriff's deputy it happened three times, "from that moment, I tried to leave the jail cell, and he grabbed me by the arm, pulled me back, held me there and did it again."
The incident report went on to say that Lauren was not injured. Lauren told officers the suspect was heavyset, between 20 to 25 years old and between 6-foot and 6-foot-2, according to the incident report.
Lauren said she reported the incident to a Scream-A-Geddon staff member, who she believe was running the theme park.
It was after she notified staff that she was surprised by their response, as she said she was offered a beer.
"From that moment I knew my situation was already down played," said Lauren, "I felt helpless again, so I settled for a water bottle."
Scream-A-Geddon sent us a statement by email:
"The recent accusation of assault inside one of our Scream-A-Geddon attractions on October 3 is currently being investigated by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. Scream-a-geddon continues to fully cooperate with the Sheriff’s Office on this investigation and no charges have been filed at this time. We take these matters very seriously. Our organization does thorough background checks on every employee. The safety and security of our guests is paramount, and always a priority. All additional inquires can be directed to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office."
At this point, the case has been handed over to the state attorney's office.
