Massage company, former St. Louis County therapist sued over alleged misconduct - FOX 2

[Joey Schneider]

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A woman has filed a civil lawsuit against a massage company and a former message therapist in St. Louis County, alleging sexual assault during a massage session last year.

In February, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Caleb Holmes with second-degree sodomy and second-degree sexual abuse in connection with alleged incidents linked to two clients.


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On Thursday, one of those clients, a woman identified as Jane Doe in court documents, filed a lawsuit in St. Louis County Circuit Court against Holmes and his former employer, MassageLuXe. The woman claims she has suffered severe and prolonged emotional distress over one alleged incident from September 2024 at a MassageLuXe at 7505 Watson Road, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that Holmes improperly and non-consensually touched the woman during a massage appointment. It contends that Holmes’ actions were both intentional and negligent.

The lawsuit further claims that MassageLuXe failed to conduct “a sufficient criminal background check or reference check” prior to hiring Holmes. It also accuses MassageLuXe of negligence in hiring practices and not taking appropriate steps to prevent and respond to misconduct.

The lawsuit argues that MassageLuXe bears legal responsibility for Holmes’ conduct under the doctrine of respondeat superior, which holds employers liable for wrongful acts committed by employees within their scope of employment.

Through the lawsuit, the woman is seeking monetary damages “in an amount that is fair and reasonable to fully compensate” her, along with any further relief the court deems appropriate.

FOX 2 contacted the MassageLuXe location listed on the lawsuit with a request for comment. An individual who answered the phone line for that location declined to provide a comment.


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