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A mother from Jacksonville has taken legal action against four companies, accusing them of negligence that allegedly enabled a convicted murderer and registered sex offender to assault her 12-year-old daughter. The incident reportedly took place at the Mirage on Kernan Apartments, where the accused was employed as a landscaper.
The lawsuit, filed in December, targets the companies responsible for allowing Randy Maurice Foster to work at the apartment complex located at 3601 Kernan Blvd. S. According to court documents and police records, Foster was employed by DM Koehn Landscaping during the time of the alleged assaults in 2024.
Currently, Foster is facing multiple charges, including three counts of lewd or lascivious battery, 11 counts of possessing child sexual abuse images, and two counts of failing to register as a sex offender. He remains in custody as he awaits trial, with a court date scheduled for March 5.
Foster’s criminal history is extensive. State records reveal that he previously spent 14 years in prison for burglaries and robberies. This was followed by a 20-year sentence for the 2002 murder of a teenage girl in Jacksonville, whom he strangled and subsequently disposed of her body in a yard, as detailed in an arrest report.
State records show Foster served 14 years in prison for burglaries and robberies, followed by 20 years for the 2002 strangulation death of a teenage girl in Jacksonville. An arrest report states he dragged her body from his home and left it in a yard.
In this most recent case, the victim told police she met Foster at the complex, where he called her pretty and asked for her TikTok handle. Investigators say he assaulted her twice in his truck and once in her apartment over several weeks.
The lawsuit names Kernan Owner LLC, Bryten Real Estate Partners, Asset Living and DM Koehn Landscaping. It alleges the companies failed to conduct proper background checks or supervise Foster despite his violent history in a community with children.
“These companies, Kernan Owner LLC, Bryten Real Estate Partners, Asset Living, and DM Koehn Landscaping, invited a monster, a murdering sexual deviant into their community,” attorney Adam Finkel of The Haggard Law Firm said at a news conference Tuesday.
“He preyed upon a child. He groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl. A child,” Finkel added.
The mother, whose identity is protected also spoke at the conference.
“My daughter is now a victim of abuse because basic safeguards were not put in place,” she said. “Every time we pass this location. A painful reminder of the moment that changed our lives forever.”
Finkel urging property managers to stay vigilant.
“Make sure you know who’s on the property, and keep our children safe,” Finkel said. “We can all do better. This could and should have been prevented.”
Bryten Real Estate Partners responded to our request with the following statement:
We have recently been made aware of deeply disturbing allegations regarding an incident involving a minor at Mirage on Kernan in Jacksonville, FL. While we have not yet been officially served with any legal filings, we find the details of these allegations to be abhorrent and contrary to everything we stand for as a company. We are in the process of reviewing the allegations, which allege that the conduct occurred from March 2024 to April 4, 2024. Thus, it is crucial to clarify that Bryten never provided security services for the property and only assumed property management activities of the property starting on April 3, 2024 through February 28, 2025. Therefore, based on a review of the allegations, the conduct occurred prior to our transition and assumption of property management of the property. We require all of our vendors to execute thorough background checks and vigorous compliance standards that are verified through third-party resources. The safety and well-being of the communities we serve remain our highest priority. Due to the sensitive nature of these allegations and out of respect for the privacy of  the individuals involved, we are not providing further comment at this time.
First Coast News did reach out to the other three companies and has not heard back at this time.
The mother and attorneys are demanding accountability and urging apartment complexes to enforce rigorous background checks for all workers.
“We cannot undo what has been done to my family,” the mother said. “But we can decide what happens next.”