United Passenger Accused of Groping Teen as She Slept

Frankfurt, Germany - July 17, 2014: United Airlines aircraft logo at an aircraft in Frankfurt. United Airlines is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

In a criminal complaint filed in federal court, the teenage girl says she awoke to find that the man in the next seat was in the midst of groping her during the cross-country flight.

A 16-year-old girl says she was sexually assaulted during a United Airlines flight from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in July. The teenager later identified a 28-year-old physician in the US on a visa attached to a medical fellowship as her alleged abuser.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Washington Post, Vijakumar Krishnappa was arrested after he was identified using the flight’s passenger manifest and a photo array. Krishnappa was charged in a New Jersey federal court with a single count of “knowingly engaging in sexual contact with a minor” on July 24, a day after the alleged assault. The judge ordered the accused passenger released on bail pending trial. The medical exchange fellow agreed to remote ankle monitoring as a condition of his release. Krishnappa also promised to not have any contact with the teenage victim or any other children until the conclusion of his case.

The teenage passenger, whose identity is being withheld, says she initially woke up on the flight to find that the man seated next to her had placed his hand on her thigh. According to her statement, he quickly removed his hand and when there appeared to be no additional cause for concern, the young woman again fell asleep.

The next time that she awoke, the teenager claims, the man in the next seat was actively groping her. At this point, she alerted a cabin crew member who relocated her to another seat.

“This is such a horrific and despicable act on his part,” Johnny McCray, an attorney hired to represent the victim’s interests, told the Post. “And for him to be a doctor – it’s concerning.”

The girl’s family has been critical of the United Airlines officials’ decision to allow the accused perpetrator to disembark and leave the airport even after a serious crime had been reported. FBI agents still reportedly managed to track Krishnappa down within a few hours of the flight landing.

“The safety and security of our customers is our top priority,” an airline spokesperson told the newspaper in a concise and carefully crafted statement. “We take these allegations seriously and continue to work closely with the proper authorities as part of their review.”