Smith-Fields’ Family To Sue City Over Death Investigation

The family of Lauren Smith-Fields, a 23-year-old Black woman, tells Newsy that they want nothing more than justice right now for her daughter's death. The whole family is devastated, and say they believe race played a role on how the Bridgeport Police Department has been handling Lauren's death investigation. Now they plan to sue the city for justice.

Dozens of people, relatives, friends, and members of the community marched, chanting and pressuring the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. They insist on a proper death investigation of Smith-Fields. The woman was found unresponsive in her apartment on December 12 by a man she met through the dating app Bumble, the family says because that man is white, police have not named him a person of interest on her death.

"I want them to give us answers and don't, and don't discard us like real rubbish, and moving forward, I want Detective Cronin to be fired, I mean this whole police force, from the top to the bottom, needs to be revamped," Smith-Fields' mother tells Newsy.

The family claims her death occurred under mysterious circumstances. They claimed they found out about the young woman's death from her landlord, who informed them over 24 hours later, and according to them, the police did not call.

Donald Crossland, the family's attorney, alleges the family was told by a detective in the case to stop calling to inquire about the investigation.

"How do you tell a family stop calling? 'don't call me anymore' and make us wait for almost two hours and never show up? Yeah, I want his badge," Smith-Fields' mother says.

Crossland said the family intends to sue the city, and added, that he requested a motion, so Bumble releases any communication between Smith-Fields and the man she met at her apartment.

"Bumble, we're not noticing them of a lawsuit, but we are questioning as to whether they knew of any signs from this gentleman that he might have been a danger and they didn't do something to protect Lauren," Crossland explained.

According to police, the man said he went to the woman's apartment, they drank tequila, played some games, watched movies, and then went to sleep. He said he woke up the next day at 6:00AM and Smith-Fields was on her right side. He alleges blood was coming from her nose onto the bed and she was not breathing. He told police that was when he called 911. Lauren Smith-Fields would have turned 24-years-old this Sunday.