Canton, Ohio ? A former employee who pressed an alarm button when a robber put a gun to her head and demanded money has sued the company for not telling her the service had been disconnected.

Cathy L. Brown, 34, of Canton, filed a lawsuit against Payless ShoeSource Inc. in Stark County Common Pleas Court last week, arguing she should have been told the service had been disabled. She is seeking damages for negligence, fraud and emotional distress.

Brown was not injured in the Aug. 18, 2004, robbery, but she would have acted differently if she knew the security button would not work, according to the lawsuit.

When the robber ordered her to empty the safe, she pressed a special button on the keypad.

A message seeking comment was left Saturday with Payless, which is based in Topeka, Kan.