JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- "My child, when they gave her that store and they put her in that store, which was July 8th... she was robbed and killed 12 days later," said an emotional Darlene Farah as she sat inside the law offices of Spohrer & Dodd.
Farah and lawyer Galen Bauer argue Shelby's death was both foreseeable and preventable. At a news conference Tuesday, the two said the store was in a high-crime area and Shelby had to work her shifts alone, even though a separate clerk had been robbed at gunpoint six months prior.
"In response to that wake up call that Metro PCS got, it did nothing. It didn't improve store security, it didn't put a security guard in the store to protect employees," said Bauer.
Shelby was murdered, execution style in the store, money stolen from the register. Bauer and Darlene Farah argue the store should have taken precautions, such as a security guard, an auto-lock door or bullet proof glass around the register. Though the store is owned as part of a franchise, they argue in a complaint that corporate is still responsible for employees' safety.
"Metro PCS response at the corporate level is security is a store-level decision. We have nothing to do with that. They shirked their responsibilities," said Bauer.
Darlene contended her daughter worked in an unsafe environment, saying even the signage that covered the windows obscured her view of her killer as he approached the store.
"There was nothing she could do… nothing," said Darlene.
Bauer said the family is filing this as a civil lawsuit, so all they can ask for is money, but what they really want is changes made at all of its stores nationwide.
"My question to Metro PCS and T-Mobile is, how many young people are you going to allow to be murdered before you do something about it? You have the ability to do something about it, you have the moral obligation to do something about it, you can save lives all you have to do is wake up and do something," wondered Bauer.
First Coast News reached out to T-Mobile/Metro PCS for comment.
In a statement, the company said, "This senseless act of violence at an authorized Metro PCS dealer store was tragic. While our sympathies remain with the family, we are unable to comment further while litigation is pending."
As for the man facing a first-degree murder charge in this case, James Rhodes is still waiting to stand trial. Prosecutors said if Farah's killer is convicted, they will seek the death penalty.
