"Victoria's Secret Karen" Lawsuit Update: What Happened to Abigail Elphick?
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The July 2021 incident at a Victoria's Secret store in New Jersey, where Abigail Elphick was labeled as "Victoria's Secret Karen" following an altercation with Ijeoma Ukenta, has seen new developments in court filings. This is the current state of affairs. Here's what we know so far:
The Incident
Elphick had a "meltdown" due to her fear of losing her job and housing, according to court documents. The video of the incident, which went viral, shows Elphick, who is white, lunging at Ukenta, a Black woman, before falling to the floor in tears, pleading with her to stop recording her "mental breakdown". While Elphick called the police, Ukenta summoned security officers, and the recording continued for 15 minutes.
The Lawsuits
Following an incident, Ukenta established a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to sue Abigail Elphick, Victoria's Secret, the mall where the occurrence took place, and its security firm. She alleged security's negligence towards the matter and their antagonistic treatment towards her. According to a legal document, the security was "extremely dismissive towards her and indifferent and nonchalant about her concerns for safety."
According to court documents, Abigail Elphick's legal team contended that the video in question infringed upon Elphick's privacy rights. Conversely, Ijeoma Ukenta's legal team contended that recording the video was necessary given their client's awareness that "she, a Black woman, may not be believed" if police were called. As for why Ukenta's lawyer Tracey C. Hinson chose to post the video, she stated to The New York Times, "Ukenta has the right to let the public know." Subjectivity is excluded in favor of objectivity, and the statement is made more clear and concise with proper capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.
Conclusion
The incident at a Victoria's Secret store in New Jersey involving Abigail Elphick and Ijeoma Ukenta has taken a new turn with recent court filings. While Elphick's attorneys argue that the video in question infringed upon their client's privacy rights, Ukenta's attorneys contend that filming was necessary as their client was concerned that, as a black woman, she might not be believed if the police were called. The event underscores the influence of online anger and the necessity for enhanced security measures in public spaces.