Video above: Suspects accused of kidnapping, dismembering Gulfport teen submit not guilty pleas
The family of a teenager from Florida, who was allegedly tortured and killed by a man she met on the dating app Grindr, has filed a lawsuit against the platform. They argue that the app’s failure to verify users’ ages and its location-sharing features played a role in her tragic death.
This federal lawsuit, which was submitted in the Middle District of Florida last month, asserts that these aspects of the app allowed 16-year-old Miranda Corsette to become a victim of Steven Gress, 37, and Michelle Vega, 35. Both individuals are currently facing charges of first-degree murder.
Grindr is a location-based application that reveals precise geolocation data, showing how far apart users are in feet. Representatives for Corsette’s estate allege that Gress singled her out through this feature.
“Lax age verification” measures – the app asks users to self-report their birth date – allowed her to be on the app in the first place, according to the lawsuit.
“The trauma inflicted upon (Corsette) and the irreparable harm to her family are direct consequences of Grindr’s reckless disregard for the safety of minor children who are routinely preyed upon by adult predators who use Grindr’s platform and design as a trap,” the lawsuit said.
Police said Corsette met Gress on the platform on or around Feb. 14. He picked her up and brought her to the apartment he shares with Vega. The girl was abused for four days over an argument regarding a piece of jewelry, a police report said. The pair was accused of killing Corsette by suffocating her with plastic wrap.
“This final act of violence, suffocating a defenseless minor already broken by days of torture, was the culmination of a week-long nightmare enabled by Grindr’s failure to protect minors,” the lawsuit stated.
Corsette was dismembered with a chainsaw and her remains were bagged and placed in a dumpster in Ruskin, according to police. The contents of the dumpster were transported to an incinerator, which destroyed the remains.
The lawsuit alleges nine counts against the company that operates Grindr, including negligence, wrongful death, participating in sex trafficking and inflicting emotional distress. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
