ESCALANTE, Utah — A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by a staff member at a ranch for troubled teens in Utah is suing Dr. Phil and CBS.
In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles this week, Hannah Archuleta says the alleged assault happened after an appearance with her parents on the “Dr. Phil” show in October 2019, when she was 17 years old.
The lawsuit alleges Dr. Phil, whose real name is Phil McGraw, and staff members on his show pressured her family to send Archuleta to Turn-About Ranch in Escalante, Utah because she had been she had been having suicidal thoughts.
On the day of the shows taping, McGraw's staff allegedly arranged for Archuleta, who is now 19 years old, to be flown to the ranch for troubled teens where she was allegedly groped on more than one occasion by an unnamed male staff member.
The suit alleges "failing to mention the “various complaints and charges of physical and emotional harm that befell minors sent to the facility.”
The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.
In a statement to The Salt Lake Tribune, Turn-About Ranch officials said they “took immediate action” after Archuleta accused the staff member.
