LOS ANGELES — A California couple held in Qatar for nearly two years before being cleared in the death of their 8-year-old adopted daughter has sued the Colorado engineering firm that sent them overseas.
In Los Angeles County Superior Court, Matt and Grace Huang filed the suit against MWH Global for negligence, wrongful termination and infliction of emotional distress.
The Huangs were arrested in Qatar in 2013 on charges of starving their African-born adopted daughter Gloria. They said she had an eating disorder.
In the lawsuit, the Huangs contend that MWH failed to provide security or cultural training in a country where adoption is illegal, mixed-race families are not accepted and people of East Asian descent are held in contempt.
The lawsuit claims that MWH abandoned the couple and fired Matt Huang.
In a statement, MWH said it provided assistance within hours of the couple’s detention and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Matt Huang’s defense.
The company also denied firing Huang. It said he resigned.
