Attorney Raises Concerns Over Rideshare Safety in Metro Atlanta Trafficking Case

Lawyer alleges traffickers used Uber to transport a 14-year-old girl to a predator's home.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 4:04am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a cracked and damaged smartphone screen, capturing the harsh, gritty, and investigative aesthetic to represent the violated sense of security for victims of human trafficking.A damaged smartphone screen symbolizes the shattered trust and violated safety of trafficking victims who are exploited through rideshare platforms.Atlanta Today

A metro Atlanta attorney is raising concerns about rideshare safety, alleging that traffickers are using popular platforms like Uber to gain access and transport victims across the region. The attorney, Michael Neff, is representing a victim in a case where a 14-year-old girl was allegedly picked up by an Uber driver in the early morning hours and driven 36 miles to the home of a sexual predator, where she was held for several days and drugged and raped.

Why it matters

This case highlights potential gaps in rideshare safety measures and the need for stricter safeguards to prevent traffickers from exploiting these platforms to transport victims. It raises questions about the level of oversight and accountability required of rideshare companies to ensure passenger safety, especially for vulnerable individuals.

The details

According to Neff, the incident occurred in October 2024 when an Uber ride was ordered just after midnight in Clayton County to pick up a passenger in Butts County. The rider happened to be a 14-year-old girl who had been contacted online by a suspect and convinced to leave her home in the early morning hours. The girl was then driven 36 miles to the home of the person who ordered the ride, where she was held for several days and subjected to horrific abuse.

  • The incident occurred in October 2024.
  • The 14-year-old girl was held for several days after being transported to the predator's home.

The players

Michael Neff

A metro Atlanta attorney representing the victim in the case.

Uber

A popular rideshare platform that was allegedly used by traffickers to transport the victim.

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What they’re saying

“This person, not an adult, did not order the ride, and should not have been transported 36 miles to a sexual predator's house.”

— Michael Neff, Attorney

“Yes, over four days she was drugged and raped so it's a horrifying thing.”

— Michael Neff, Attorney

“Uber and Lyft should mandate their drivers to check if there's any doubt, they could require guest passengers to register who they are and show a form of government ID.”

— Michael Neff, Attorney

What’s next

Neff hopes that legal action against rideshare companies could help force changes to their safety protocols and procedures, even if it's for monetary reasons, in order to put pressure on them to close the gaps and better protect vulnerable passengers.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for rideshare companies to implement stricter safety measures, including passenger identity verification, to prevent traffickers from exploiting their platforms to transport victims. It underscores the broader issue of oversight and accountability in the rideshare industry when it comes to protecting passenger safety, especially for minors and other vulnerable individuals.