Popular dating app, Bumble, is calling for a more thorough investigation into the death of Lauren Smith-Fields.
“With additional information about the death of Lauren Smith-Fields coming to light, we continue to be unsettled by this loss,” the dating app’s statement reads. “We empathize with Lauren’s family, friends, and beloved community, and we stand by our statement that every parent deserves to know what has happened to their child. This matter deserves a thorough and serious investigation for the Fields family to get justice for Lauren.”
Twenty-three-year-old Smith-Fields was found unresponsive in her home on December 12, 2021, by a Bridgeport Police Department officer after receiving a call from was a man she had met on the Bumble dating app. She had been on a date with him the night before.
The man told police they had taken tequila shots before Smith-Fields became sick in the bathroom. She then went outside before returning to the bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes. He says they continued drinking before they both fell asleep. The man claims he then woke up at 3. a.m. Smith-Fields was snoring. Hours later, he woke up and saw blood coming from her nose. He also noticed that she was not breathing.
Her family vowed to take legal action against the Bridgeport Police Department, “failed to implement the proper crime scene investigation team to collect physical evidence,” and “refuse to view the last person to see Smith-Fields before she died as a person of interest.”
“The way they handled her investigation was literally disgraceful, disgusting, horrible. It was not even human,” Lakeem Jetter, Smith-Fields’ brother, said in an interview with “Good Morning America.”
Since then, Smith-Fields date, who was with her at the time of her death, is reported to be fully cooperating with the authorities.
He has since been identified as Matthew LaFountain. Attorney Peter Karayiannis confirmed he is representing LaFountain.
“He’s not going to be making any statements,” Karayiannis said about his client per the CT Post. Karayiannis had previously been named by Smith-Fields’ family.
Karayiannis said his client is considering legal action.
“It’s still too early to tell in regards to that,” the lawyer said.
