Tenant's wrongful eviction suit seeks damages for being jailed on daughter's birthday

GRETNA – A tenant of a Gretna apartment building is suing her former landlord for allegedly evicting her and not returning items cleaned out of her apartment.

Dahlia Santos-Muhammad filed suit against Latter and Blum Property Management Inc., Maison Whitney Partners Ltd. and Rent-A-Center in the 24th Judicial District Court on June 30.

Santos-Muhammad contends she was a tenant at an apartment complex located at 1117 Whitney Ave. in Gretna when someone from the property manager’s office allegedly took all of her belongings out of the unit she was renting. The plaintiff claims that at the time, June 29, 2013, she had not abandoned her apartment. Santos-Muhammad alleges that she remembers another tenant had received a “notice to vacate," but she had not received one herself.

The plaintiff contends although her boyfriend was evicted due to alleged physical abuse and was given 10 days to move out, she was not. However, after the 10 day period had elapsed Santos-Muhammad claims her belongings were removed from the unit. According to the lawsuit, her items included a rental television, two bedrooms full of furniture and other personal things. Santos-Muhammad alleges that due to the rental television not being returned she was arrested for “failure to return a leased movable” which caused her to miss her daughter’s birthday party and cost her $250 to secure a bail bondsman for her release.

The defendant is accused of wrongful eviction without due process.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for going to jail on her daughter’s birthday, false arrest, damage to reputation, emotional distress and attorney’s fees.

Santos-Muhammad is represented by attorney David Band of New Orleans.

The case has been assigned to Division L Judge Donald A. Rowan Jr.

Case no. 739-902.