A Houston attorney has filed a human trafficking civil conspiracy case against Backpage.com, as well as numerous hotel chains and truck stops, claiming they participated in a scheme that allowed for the prostitution of a 15-year-old girl.

Annie McAdams represents the plaintiff in Jane Doe v. Backpage.com, which alleges she was prostituted between the ages of 15 and 16 years old on the adult advertisement website. Doe claims the company used an electronic filter to strip hundreds of words indicative of sex trafficking of minors and prostitution including “Lolita,” “teenager,” “rape,” and “amber alert” from ads before their publication to assist in her trafficking.

The case was filed in Harris County District Courts.

While Backpage.com is facing a wave of similar sex trafficking lawsuits across the nation, including in Washington and California, the recent Texas case is one of the first to name prominent co-conspirators such as the Hyatt Hotels, Choice Hotels and Pilot Flying J Travel Centers for allegedly turning a blind eye to a sex trafficking victim abused on their property.

The plaintiff claims the hotel and truck stop defendants were aware that she was repeatedly trafficked for sex at their locations, but did nothing to stop it or alert law enforcement. Instead, they allegedly profited from her exploitation, according to the complaint.

In 2011, the Texas Legislature amended Chapter 98 of the Civil Practices and Remedies Code by allowing plaintiffs to sue businesses who intentionally or knowingly benefit from sex trafficking, and holds company shareholders and officers liable as well.

McAdams said her client is one of the first to use the law to take on numerous corporate defendants.

“Texas has the opportunity here to become a leader in combatting human trafficking. And the reason is there is not another statute like this in the country,” said McAdams, who added her client was rescued by a Houston Police Department Task Force, and her pimp was later sent to prison. “Law enforcement has done a tremendous job with the assets and means they have to fight this. And we believe this law will allow the civil justice system to stand beside law enforcement to put an end to human trafficking.''

McAdams said that while her lawsuit names several investors and corporate officers of Dallas-based Backpage.com as defendants, it does not do the same for investors and the officers of the hotels and truck stop chains.

“Some of that has to do with the actions of the individual shareholders that were so egregious that we couldn't ignore it,'' McAdams said.

A spokesperson for Backpage.com did not respond to a request for comment. Spokespersons for Hyatt Hotels, Choice Hotels and Pilot Flying J Travel Centers also did not respond to requests for comment.

“We know and believe that this case is going to accomplish quite a bit on behalf of victims. But what we hope what this lawsuit represents is that there is somebody out there who cares,” McAdams said. “And if you're a business that participates or profits from human trafficking, you're going to be talking to us. This is just the start.''