Crystal Rogers’ mother files wrongful death suit against Brooks Houck
The mother of Crystal Rogers, a missing Bardstown mother who is presumed dead, has filed a civil lawsuit against Brooks Houck for wrongful death.
Sherry Ballard, Rogers’ mother, filed the suit on Thursday in Nelson County Circuit Court. Rogers four adult children — who were minors at the time of her disappearance in 2016 — are listed as plaintiffs in addition to their grandmother in the suit against Houck.
The lawsuit accuses Houck of wrongful death and four counts of loss of consortium for each child, meaning they lost “love, affection, guidance, services, assistance, society, care aid, support comfort and protection” from their mother as a result of Houck’s alleged actions.
Houck was the former boyfriend of Rogers and they share one child together.
Houck was named the main suspect early on in the investigation and was recently arrested in the case. The indictment against Houck alleges he, “acting alone or in complicity with another, committed the offense of murder by intentionally or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life wantonly causing the death of Crystal Rogers.”
Ballard is the executor of Rogers’ estate and said in the suit that Houck’s actions were committed “willfully, with oppression, fraud or malice.”
Ballard is seeking punitive damages including funeral and administrative expenses, physical pain and mental suffering, loss of earnings, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of Rogers’ ability to earn money. She is also seeking a judgment in amount to be determined by a jury and court costs and attorney fees.
This suit comes the same day that a third suspect involved in the murder of Rogers appeared in court for the first time. Steven Lawson appeared for court over Zoom for his arraignment, and pleaded not guilty.
