Washington Metro sued after man with Down syndrome trapped six days

Rashawn Williams, a 33‑year‑old man with Down syndrome, was left alone in the Glenmont station of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for six days in October 2023. After boarding a train and being told to exit, he entered an emergency‑exit corridor that locked behind him. A WMATA employee was on a personal phone call and did not respond to his distress, and the station’s “Area of Refuge” was not inspected as required. Williams was discovered on day six by a police officer and a station manager, severely dehydrated and covered in urine and feces.

Williams’s guardians have filed a federal lawsuit against WMATA and the care company WeAchieve, alleging negligence and failure to follow safety protocols. The agency’s attempt to dismiss the suit was rejected by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who allowed the case to proceed toward trial.