Naperville sued over reality TV show

A former Naperville woman has filed a federal suit against the city over her appearance on the Biography Channel reality TV show "Female Forces."

Chelsea Frederick and her sister Ferrara Daum say their civil rights to privacy were violated by the show, its producers and Naperville when Frederick's arrest early last year on an outstanding traffic warrant was used in the fifth episode of "Female Forces."

The series depicted the life of female Naperville police officers, with city consent, and the episode ran a year ago.

According to the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Frederick and Daum were dressed "very casually in pajama pants" and going out to eat at a drive-through restaurant when Naperville police arrested Frederick on the outstanding traffic warrant. Although the arresting officer was reportedly a man, he called in a female officer and an accompanying camera crew following her for the show.

During the arrest, Frederick was handcuffed and unable to keep her Hello Kitty pajama bottoms from falling to reveal "indecently exposed skin above the waistband." The images were used in the show, which the suit charged was "maliciously edited."

The suit says Frederick and Daum objected to being filmed and refused to sign releases afterward. It names the Biography Channel, its owner, A&E Television Networks, the show's producer, the Greif Company, and Naperville as defendants. It seeks exemplary and punitive damages for violation of their right to privacy and unauthorized use of their images and says Frederick moved from Naperville to seek work elsewhere over damage to her reputation.

Their attorney, Donald Spak of Chicago, declined to release their current cities of residence. "They are trying to avoid further publicity," he said.