Richard and Maria Williams say they've accumulated more than $300,000 in medical bills following the savage attack on their 13-year-old son. The couple says someone needs to be held accountable and that's why they've hired attorney Michael Alder.
"This is public record and so now if this incident or something similar happens again there's going to be a lot of scrutiny," Alder said.
They filed suit against Forest City Enterprises, the owner of the South Bay Galleria, and Andrews International, INC, the company that runs the mall's security, for negligence and premises liability.
Alder said the lawsuit was filed after both companies failed to help the couple pay for their son's medical bills.
The couple's son and a second unidentified girl were stabbed near the mall's AMC Theatres on Dec. 29. The boy's heart and lungs were punctured.
Police released a sketch of the suspect and also offered a $25,000 reward for information regarding the stabbing but have not made any arrests.
According to Alder, the stabbings were one of 128 crimes reported at the mall in a 3-month period.
The male victim's father Rich Williams said he was unaware that his son's welfare was in jeopardy.
"Had I known it was a cesspool for crime there's no way we would've let him go," Williams said. "That's why I felt so horrible afterwards, we had no idea."
Adler also said the mall failed to provide enough surveillance cameras to deter people from committing crimes in the area.
"I'm dumbfounded at the lack of surveillance," Williams said. "I'm extremely disappointed as to what's happened thus far."
Police are still hoping that eyewitnesses who see themselves in the surveillance video contact them as soon as possible. You can watch the footage by visiting, www.redondo.org/depts/police.
Anyone with information regarding the stabbing or who may have been a victim of crime near the South Bay Galleria was urged to visit www.makesouthbaygalleriasafe.com.
