Attorney Representing Family of Lauren Smith-Fields Believes Bumble Date Has Ties to Police Department

The mystery surrounding the death of Lauren Smith-Fields is deepening with the revelation that the last man to see her alive is close to the police department working her case.

Smith-Fields was found dead in her apartment on December 12th after spending time with a man she met on the Bumble app. Matthew LaFountain says he met the social media influencer at her Bridgeport, CT apartment. According to him, the two drank tequila until she suddenly got sick. He says once the 23-year-old fell asleep after they’d eaten and watched a movie, he carried her to her bed and laid down next to her. When he awoke the following day, LaFountain says Smith-Fields was not breathing, and blood was coming from her nose. He called 911 but was not thoroughly questioned when the police arrived. Now, her family believes it was because he has a “huge connection” to the Bridgeport Police Department.

According to attorney Darnell Crosland, who represents the young woman’s family, Detective Cronin arrived at the scene on that fateful day and met LaFountain, with whom he has a personal relationship. Crosland is confident that Cronin “created a cover-up” for LaFountain. The exact extent of their association has not been revealed.

On Monday, the Connecticut chief medical examiner ruled that Smith-Fields died from an accidental overdose after ingesting a lethal mix of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine, and alcohol. The following day, a criminal investigation was launched. Cronin has since been removed from the case and is on administrative leave as Mayor Joe Ganim digs deeper into Smith-Field’s death.

Crosland and Smith-Fields’ brother, Lakeem Jetter, believe that detectives ignored key pieces of evidence, including a sedative pill and used condom found in her bathroom. Crosland maintains that if Smith-Fields were a white woman, the handling of the case would be different.

The Bridgeport Police Department narcotics and vice division assisted by the DEA are working together to determine how she ended up with the drugs in her body.