Dex Lauper, the son of singer Cyndi Lauper, is facing a civil sexual assault lawsuit that also names his father, David Thornton, as a defendant for allegedly failing to act on prior warning signs.
The complaint centers on an alleged incident in November 2020 at a penthouse apartment in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. According to the filing, the lawsuit accuses Dex Lauper of assaulting a woman after inviting her to the residence.
Reporting by AllHipHop outlined the allegations in detail, noting that the case extends beyond the incident itself to include claims about Thornton's alleged prior knowledge of his son's behavior.
A report described the circumstances leading up to the encounter, stating, "According to the filing, Dex Lauper invited a woman over and sent her about $60 through Cash App for the ride."
The filing outlines escalating tensions inside the apartment. A description in the report states, "The complaint says they argued over a sexual request, and she tried to leave because she felt uncomfortable."
The allegations further claim that the situation became physical. A passage from the report states, "The lawsuit claims he pushed her onto a bed multiple times and held her down when she tried to get up."
The complaint also includes statements attributed to Dex Lauper following the alleged incident. A report notes, "Afterward, the complaint says Dex yelled, 'you see, I told you not to do that,' and allegedly told her no one would believe her."
The woman is seeking damages for physical injuries and emotional distress, according to the filing.
Thornton's connection to the apartment links him to the lawsuit. A report explains that Thornton leased and controlled the apartment, which the lawsuit says gave him the authority to step in but didn't.
The complaint alleges that Thornton was aware of prior accusations involving his son. A report states, "The complaint claims Thornton knew about past accusations tied to his son, including alleged violence and prior settlements, but still allowed him to use the apartment without restrictions."
As per TMZ, those prior accusations include claims made in 2018 by Brittney Taylor, who publicly alleged physical and verbal abuse during a past relationship with Dex Lauper.
The lawsuit argues that these earlier allegations should have served as warning signs. A report notes, "These public accusations were widely reported by media outlets and disseminated on social media platforms, placing Thornton on notice of his son's violent and abusive propensities toward women."
In addition to the civil case, Dex Lauper has faced other legal issues in recent years. According to AllHipHop, he was arrested in 2022 for unauthorized use of a vehicle and later faced charges in 2024 related to weapons possession.
The outlet reported that the 2024 case concluded with a plea agreement. A report states, "the case ended last week, with a plea deal in which Dex admitted guilt to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and received one year of interim probation instead of a longer prison term."
The civil lawsuit remains ongoing.
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