Life Time Fitness in Collierville….three young girls who allegedly were sexually assaulted

The parents of three young girls who allegedly were sexually assaulted at Life Time Fitness in Collierville have filed lawsuits against the gym and the man accused of assaulting the girls.

The three lawsuits in the Circuit Court of Tennessee each ask for $1 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages from Anthony Webster and various corporations and entities associated with Life Time Fitness, at 3470 Houston Levee.

The case began last summer when Collierville police detectives charged Webster, a Life Time Fitness employee, with aggravated sexual assault of a 6-year-old girl who told her parents about the incident.

An investigation followed, and evidence from a surveillance video showed an employee in the child care area of the gym touching an 8-year-old girl inappropriately. The third girl was 9 years old.

Webster was sent to Criminal Court at 201 Poplar and is in jail on a $250,000 bond. His next hearing is in July.

In the lawsuits, the parents believe that Life Time Fitness and various corporations involved with the gymnasium chain should have done a better job of protecting their children from one of the gym’s employees.

“Had Life Time Fitness reviewed the surveillance video or otherwise taken action to monitor Webster, they would have discovered that Webster was engaging in inappropriate conduct and could have terminated (Webster) or taken other action to prevent harm to children, and the minor plaintiff would not have been abused,” according to the lawsuit filed on behalf of attorney Jeffrey Rosenblum, who represents the 6-year-old girl.

Robert Hutton said he was recently hired by Lifetime to represent the corporation in the three lawsuits. He plans to file an answer to the complaints by Aug. 1.