The Bridgeport Police Department Narcotics and Vice Division in Connecticut are investigating the death of 23-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields, a student and TikTok influencer who passed away unexpectedly on December 21.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Bridgeport labeled Smith-Fields’ death as a Fentanyl, prescription medication, and alcohol overdose. Although her death was ruled accidental, an incident report obtained by News 8 indicated that Smith-Fields was found deceased at her Bridgeport home with a man she had known for around three days.
The man, reportedly visibly shaken, told police that he woke up the following morning after a night of drinking and saw Smith-Fields not breathing while “blood was coming out of her right nostril.” He added that he noticed Smith-Fields in the bathroom at one point for around 15 minutes the night prior.
Smith-Fields met the man on the dating app, “Bumble.” People magazine reports that the victim’s relatives said the man appeared to be in his late 30s and a “nice guy.”
The family, however, doesn’t think enough was done during the investigation into Smith-Fields’ death.
The victim’s family attorney, Darnell Crosland, said the family filed a notice against the Bridgeport police after they “failed to investigate this matter, and they refuse to view the last person with Lauren Smith-Fields before she died as a person of interest.”
“It looks more like a murder, and if the police don’t start acting fast, we’re going to have a real big problem on our hands,” Crosland told News 8.
A notice of claim stated that the Bridgeport Police Department “has been racially insensitive to this family, and has treated this family with no respect and has violated their civil rights.”
Rapper Cardi B took to Twitter to express frustration with the case shortly after the incident began spreading on social media.
Naa this man don’t look old and it’s not old at all and yet the media made it seem like she was wit a old ass man lookin to trick on https://t.co/2btR6XvluQ disgusted on how they spin the narrative specially because I see people saying online “that’s wat she gets” pic.twitter.com/JeEwY6tYaY
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) January 23, 2022
Bridgeport PD was not readily available for comment. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Instagram]