US police launch investigation weeks after Lauren Smith-Fields died while on Bumble date
Police in the US have a begun a criminal investigation six weeks after a 23-year-old woman died while she was on a date with a man she met on dating app Bumble.
Lauren Smith-Fields was found dead in her apartment in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on December 12, after the man she was with called police to say he awoke to find her unresponsive.
Her death has been ruled an accident by the state chief medical examiner’s office.
Ms Smith-Fields' family claimed authorities did not give her death enough attention because she was black.
They claimed a detective eventually asked them to stop calling.
They are planning to sue the police of failing to properly investigate, the family's attorney, Darnell Crosland said.
And they said police never notified them of her death. Instead, family members found out more than a day later through a note left on her apartment door by her landlord.
“The police department has been racially insensitive to this family and has treated this family with no respect and has violated their civil rights,” Mr Crosland wrote in the intent to sue notice.
Bridgeport police said on Tuesday its narcotics and vice division, with help from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, is investigating to see if any crimes were committed.
“We are now refocusing our attention and efforts to the factors that (led) to her untimely death,” acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia said.
Mayor Joe Ganim said on Monday the police department’s internal affairs office is investigating its response to Ms Smith-Fields’ death and he is working with police to change practices.
He said: “Sensitivity and care is of utmost importance when working with the family of a victim. There is no tolerance for anything less than respect and sensitivity for family members and their loss.”
The medical examiner’s office said on Monday that Ms Smith-Fields died from “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine and alcohol” and her death was accidental.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid. Promethazine and hydroxyzine are antihistamines used to treat allergies.
The family's lawyer Mr Crosland on Twitter questioned the finding that Ms Smith-Fields’ death was an accident.
He wrote: "I’ve never seen a medical examiner conclude a mixer of drugs as an accident without knowing who provided the drugs, or how it was ingested. Lauren didn’t use drugs."
Dr James Gill, the chief medical examiner, said on Tuesday he could not discuss specifics of the case because his office is only allowed to release information on death certificates.