Lauren Smith-Fields case: Police open criminal investigation into woman's death following Bumble date

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (TCD) -- Police are reportedly opening a criminal investigation into the death of 23-year-old Lauren Smith-Fields after she was found dead in her apartment in December.

Bridgeport Police told NBC Connecticut in a statement that the city’s Emergency Operations Center "received a call for service regarding an untimely death" on Dec. 12. Police arrived and found Smith-Fields dead.

Her family, however, reportedly learned about her death from a note on her apartment door from the landlord that read, "If you’re looking for Lauren" and provided a phone number. Smith-Fields' family hired an attorney and reportedly plans to sue the city of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Police Department because they allege police "failed to implement the proper crime scene investigation team to collect physical evidence," according to ABC News.

WTNH-TV reports the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Smith-Fields died from "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine, and alcohol."

According to NBC Connecticut, Smith-Fields met a man on the dating app Bumble not long before she was found dead. WTNH, citing an incident report, says the man woke up and found Smith-Fields with blood coming out of her right nostril. The man reportedly told police he had only known her for three days.

Smith-Fields' brother Lakeem Jetter told NBC Connecticut, "When I asked the officer about the guy, he said he was a very nice guy and they weren’t looking into him anymore."

Jetter said he continued to call police about the case. He said the detective "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?"

Smith-Fields' mother Shantell Smith added, "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."

NBC Connecticut reports Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said the Office of Internal Affairs will conduct a "full and fair investigation" regarding Smith-Fields’ death. Additionally, the Bridgeport Police Department Narcotics and Vice division will investigate with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Smith-Fields' family gathered Sunday, Jan. 23 — her birthday — to march for justice and in her honor.

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