Eden Retirement Center
A former employee filed a defamation suit against the Eden Retirement Center in Glen Carbon and its human resources manager, Beth Briehan, for making false accusations of sexual misconduct.
Trudy Baxter claims she was abruptly terminated on Aug. 19 after being falsely charged with having sexual relations with another person while engaged in her employer’s business. Baxter's employment began June 13.
“The charge made against Baxter was not true,” the complaint states.
Baxter claims Eden and Briehan made unprivileged and false statements to third persons when they knew, or had reason to know, the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of the statement.
“The publication of the false statement on the part of the defendants constitutes defamation,” the complaint states.
Baxter also claims the publication of her termination of employment and the basis for the termination constitutes an invasion of her privacy because it constitutes a public disclosure of private facts and placed her in a false light before the public.
According to Baxter, she suffered emotional distress, humiliation, anguish, embarrassment, fright, shock, pain, discomfort, anxiety and damage to her reputation.
Baxter is seeking at least $50,000 against each defendant for compensatory and punitive damages plus costs of the suit.
She is represented by William Kopis of Belleville.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge George Moran.
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