A heartbroken family is suing a Connecticut police department for allegedly mishandling the investigation into how their daughter died.
Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, was found dead in her Bridgeport apartment on December 12 after a night of drinking by a man she met on a dating app called Bumble. More than a month later 'her cause of death is pending further studies.'
Her loved ones are reportedly frustrated with how local police are handling the case, alleging the detective told them to stop contacting him and was uninterested in pursuing Smith-Field's date as a suspect.
'When I asked the officer about the guy, he said he was a very nice guy and they weren't looking into him anymore. It was almost like he was sticking up for him and it seemed weird to hear that from a detective,' her brother Lakeem Jetter told NBC Connecticut.
'He told me directly on the phone to stop calling him and hung up in my face, it was just like total disrespect, like that's what you tell a family that's going through grief and trying to find answers?'
Jetter also alleged police were not thorough in their initial crime scene investigation, noting that while officers confiscated her phone, passport and $1,345 in cash, they neglected to collect other pieces of potential evidence. He told Rolling Stone they found a used condom in the trash, lubricant, bloody sheets on her bed and an unidentified pill in the unit.
'The first night we saw cups there, flipped plates and the lube. The cops didn't take any of the cups to test the liquor,' said Jetter. 'There was a big stain of blood in the middle of her bed, with streaks going to the right side.'
Smith-Fields' mother also claims the officers made her feel as if the investigation was 'not important.'
'The way they talked to me, the way they have talked to the family, how they treated my daughter, they treated her like she was nobody, like she was not important,' Shantell Smith told the TV station.
The family's attorney alleged police often don't prioritize investigation involving black women.
'We have seen the amount of resources that have gone to other cases involving missing white women like Gabby Petito and we know so many black woman are missing so much in this country,' attorney Darnell Crosland said. 'Everyone is speaking out, everyone is insulted with the way the Bridgeport police and the Bridgeport city has dealt with us.'
The family plans to serve notice of an intention to sue to the City of Bridgeport and intends to make a formal announcement on Sunday. They also plan to hire a private investigator to look into the case. Meantime, they have paid for an independent autopsy of Smith-Fields' body.
The heartbroken family of Lauren Smith-Fields (pictured) plans to sue the City of Bridgeport after they allege the local police department mishandled the investigation into her death
Smith-Fields was found dead in her apartment after she met up with her Bumble date, Matthew LaFountain.
An incident report viewed by Rolling Stone said Smith-Fields had asked LaFountain for $40 to get her nails done and then to meet her at her residence where the pair reportedly took 'shots of tequila'.
LaFountain claims Smith-Fields became ill and threw up in her bathroom before the two continued drinking tequila mixed drinks. They reportedly played games, ate food and began watching a movie when Smith-Fields allegedly received a text, went outside to get something from her brother and then, upon her return, went into her bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes.
Her date told police 'he thought it was odd, but didn't feel it was his place to say anything as he didn't know her that well,' the incident report reportedly reads.
Afterwards, the pair continued to watch the movie and finished the bottle of tequila before she fell asleep on the couch. LaFountain allegedly carried her to her bedroom and the two went to bed.
He claims he woke up around 3am to use the bathroom and found Smith-Fields snoring. Then, around 6.30am he reportedly found her lying on her right side with blood coming out of her right nostril and not breathing. He then called 911.
Once police arrived on scene, Smith-Fields' landlord was contacted. The landlord did not have family contact
