Women attacked by Armon Dixon file suit against state, claiming negligence

A woman attacked by an escaped criminal has filed a lawsuit against the state of Nebraska. 

Cynthia Allen, along with her daughter, Christine, were at a Lincoln apartment when they were attacked by convicted rapist Armon Dixon in November, 2016. 

Dixon, along with fellow inmate Timothy Clausen, had escaped from the Lincoln Correctional Center the day before the attack. 

The lawsuit seeks more than half a million dollars, and lists the State of Nebraska, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, along with its director, Scott Frakes, as defendants. 

The suit was filed by Terry Dougherty, with Woods & Aitken LLP, and claims negligence on the part of Corrections for Dixon’s escape. 

Cynthia and Christine Allen are both listed as having filed the lawsuit. 

The suit says Cynthia Allen suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and needs special medical care. 

BACKSTORY

On June 11, Cynthia Allen was visiting her daughters at their apartment in Lincoln. 

Allen was home with one of her daughters, Christine, when Armon Dixon, a convicted felon who had escaped from the Lincoln Correctional Center the day before, entered the apartment through a patio door. 

After hearing her daughter scream, Cynthia Allen ran into the apartment’s kitchen and found Christine on the floor with Dixon standing over her. 

Dixon put his hand over Christine’s mouth, threatening to kill her. 

Cynthia Allen grabbed Dixon’s arm, at which point he turned around and started choking her. 

Dixon told Christine Allen to stop screaming or he would break her mother’s neck. 

The women noticed Dixon was carrying a club-like weapon by his side, and a scuffle over the weapon ensued. 

Dixon hit Cynthia Allen in the forehead with the club, knocking her to the ground, before continuing to beat her in the back of the head. 

Christine Allen attempted to use her mother’s cellphone to call for help, but Dixon smashed the phone and then struck her with the club. 

Dixon forced Christine Allen onto her knees, bending her over the back of a couch while trying to bind her hands. 

At that point, Cynthia Allen ran from the apartment through the open patio door, which distracted Dixon long enough for her daughter to escape into the bathroom and lock the door. 

Dixon pursued Cynthia Allen outside, but ultimately ran off after seeing her talking with a young couple in the parking lot. 

Christine Allen made her way outside and called police, who then called in a K-9 unit and helicopter to search for Dixon. 

The Allen women were taken to Bryan Medical Center for treatment. 

Dixon and Clausen had escaped from the Lincoln Correctional through a laundry truck, prompting a city-wide manhunt. 

Dixon was arrested a couple days later, while Clausen made it all the way to Omaha before being apprehended.