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Miya Marcano's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Apartment Complex, Deceased Suspect

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The family of Miya Marcano, the Broward county woman whose body was found in a wooded area near Orlando, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit for negligence against Arden Villas, the apartment complex where Miya lived and worked in central Florida.

The 19-year-old was a sophomore at Orlando's Valencia College. She was a graduate of Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines.

arden villas apartments orlando miya marcano
Miya Marcano lived and worked at the Arden Villas apartments in Orlando where she was last seen on Sept. on Sept. 24. (Source: WESH via CNN)

The suit was filed Monday night in Orange County and lists the apartment complex, its parent company, and the estate of deceased maintenance worker Armando Caballero.

"As a result of the attack by Caballero and the negligence of the defendants, Marcano sustained severe mental anguish and bodily injury resulting in her death. Miya's body was found bound and duct taped," according to the lawsuit filed in Orange County circuit court.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $30,000.

Miya Marcano Armando Caballero
Armando Caballero (Courtesy: Orange County Sheriff's Office)

Caballero, a maintenance worker at Arden Villas was the "prime suspect" in her killing, according to investigators.

Marcano vanished the same day he reportedly used a master key to enter Marcano's apartment. He was found dead of an apparent suicide three days after Marcano was last seen on Sept. 24. Marcano's body was found on Oct. 2.

Her family says Arden Villas did not do enough to protect Miya.

The lawsuit states, "At no time was Miya Marcano made aware by the management of the Arden Villas that Caballero had a criminal background, a history of harassing women, nor was she aware that Caballero would have unsupervised and/or free access to her apartment."

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