Lauren Smith-Fields
Twenty-three-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields was found dead after a Bumble date in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her family alleges police mishandled the investigation due to racial bias.
On December 12, 2021, twenty-three-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields, a Black woman, was found dead in her apartment in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She had been on a date the previous night with a man she met on the dating app Bumble.
The man, who was white and significantly older, called 911 and was briefly questioned before being released. Police did not collect his clothing or perform a thorough investigation of the scene.
Lauren's family was not notified of her death by police; they learned about it from her landlord. The family accused the Bridgeport Police Department of racism and negligence in their handling of the case.
The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as acute intoxication from a combination of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine, and alcohol. Lauren's family disputes this finding. Several officers were disciplined for their handling of the case, and the detective initially assigned was fired.
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