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Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, of Bridgeport, was found dead in her apartment on Sunday, Dec. 12 by Bridgeport police after a date with 37-year-old Matthew LaFountain, whom she met on a dating site. LaFountain was the one who called to report her death, the family said at a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 16.
More than a month after Smith-Fields died, her family still doesn't have a cause of death and is frustrated with the way they are being treated by the police and the manner in which the investigation is being handled, Rolling Stone said.
The family is upset over the city authorities’ handling of Smith-Fields' untimely death, and is asking that an independent agency be brought in to handle the investigation.
TikTok users are calling for justice.
User @eggsyolkedeggs posted a video that got 1.5 million views. She says she's enraged by the lack of coverage on the case. User Haley Toumaian says there is no reason why every Connecticut resident doesn't know Smith-Fields' name. Commenters are calling the case "corrupt."
Smith-Fields' family is comparing the way her mysterious death is being handled with the way the investigation into the death of Long Island's Gabby Petito's death was made public.
Crosland said the family is suing for failure to prosecute and failure to protect the family under the 14th Amendment.
A Stamford High School graduate, Smith-Fields was taking classes at Norwalk Community College while working as an eyebrow specialist and babysitter at the time of her death.
Smith-Fields was found dead after meeting up with a man named Matthew LaFountain from the dating app Bumble, Rolling Stone reported.
According to an incident report, obtained by Crosland, Smith-Fields’ body was found by LaFountain after a night of drinking and eating. He claims he found her around 6:30 a.m. on her bed bleeding from the nose. He called 911 to report her death.
According to the Daily Mail, the family claims police never reported her death to them until days after when they called a number left with her landlord and were informed of her passing.
Her brother also claims the Bridgeport Pollice officer handling the case told him not to call again and hung up on him, the Daily Mail reported.
The department, for its part, who said they don't respond to questions on open cases, added they are awaiting a report from the medical examiner's office for a definitive cause of death. They also offered condolences to the family, reported the Daily Mail.
Crosland counted that the family wants justice, not condolences, and wants to see her death investigated.
The Smith-Fields family plans to commemorate her birthday on Sunday, Jan. 23 with a march to City Hall.
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