Dear Lauren, I care.
I’m a talker, but I’ve always been a writer, first. Lately, I’ve realized that bottling my emotions ain’t the way to go about this situation, so I had to type it out. My genuine thoughts.
Does anyone care?
Lauren Smith-Fields was a young, full of life, woman from Connecticut. She seemed to live a normal life. Friends, family, fun – the usual combo.
At 22, her life was cut short after a night with a stranger.
On December 12, 2021, she took her last breath by the side of Matthew LaFountain. A 37-year-old man from Milford, Connecticut that she’d known for only three days, according to reports.
Anyone else notice the age difference? Does anyone care?
Lauren was an influencer, friend, sister, student and person – something we all can relate to.
So, why doesn’t anyone care?
Lauren died in the care of a Bumble date.
A Bridgeport police report states Lauren fell asleep & said man carried her to the bed.
He then slept next to her. He realized she wasn’t breathing around 6 a.m. with blood dripping from her nose. He summoned police.
A “written field statement” was taken, but, somehow said man was never questioned or treated as a suspect – although he was on scene with a dead body.
Lauren’s brother told multiple media outlets that the family wasn’t notified until a day after she was found deceased.
Why? Because according to the family, officials already identified Lauren’s body through her passport that was on scene.
Lauren was not a JANE DOE. Lauren had family. As a HUMAN BEING, could you not notify next of kin, RIGHT AWAY?!
This is a problem.
Why doesn’t anyone care?
Lauren’s family told multiple media outlets that Bridgeport Police dismissed their family and said the man Lauren was last seen with, ‘seemed like ‘a nice guy.’
Do you know about Ted Bundy? He was described as a charming, articulate and intelligent man – but responsible for the death of nearly 30 girls and women.
How can you not care?
She was 22. Twenty-two. TWO. TWO.
Does anyone care?
The police who responded to his 9-1-1 call accepted the man’s word, against hers.
Is it because dead people can’t talk?
Was she raped? There was a used condom in the trash that wasn’t taken as evidence.
Was she drugged? There was a single pill also on the scene that was not taken as evidence.
Nobody knows.
But does anyone care?
In January, the medical examiner ruled her death an ‘accidental overdose’ due to what was found in her system – alcohol, fentanyl, promethazine…
I’ve read comments of people saying she ‘deserved it’ because she ‘partied hard.’
Well, I care.
Lauren, you matter. And after browsing through your Instagram, I saw so much of me in you. At 22.
No one deserves to die.
To those people, try to remember what you were like at 22.
Because I remember, and I HAD FUN.
I was in College pursuing the very degree I USE TODAY and it was an experience. And before you judge, I made the Dean’s list EVERY SEMESTER.
Those who went, KNOW what college can be like. So, don’t.
A lot of people will say, ‘Don’t make this a Black & white thing.’
You know what I say? Don’t you dare tell me what to do or how to feel when I’m constantly shown that women who resemble me DON’T MATTER.
Lauren, you did not deserve this. Nor does your family deserve this pain.
To the man she was last with, you probably don’t deserve this either.
But to the MEDIA – THE MEDIAAAAA – those who aren’t pursuing the ‘Bridgeport Police Department did NOT do their part’ angle, the most IMPORTANT angle…shame on you!
I would be guilty by association if I didn’t speak out and say I CONDEMN that mess!
So many outlets covered Gabby Petito/Brian Laundrie like no tomorrow, but not the Lauren Smith Fields story?
Does anyone REALLY care?
Do better.
The story is about JUSTICE FOR LAUREN SMITH-FIELDS. A beautiful black girl – the ONLY way she should be remembered.
PERIOD.
Shoutout to ABC 7, CBS, NBC 4, The Shade Room, and so many other reporters doing what matters most. Making the story about LAUREN SMITH-FIELDS. The facts are clear. Bridgeport Police Dept. failed the Smith-Fields family.
Investigate #BridgeportPD NOW!
#justice4laurensmithfields #blackwomenmatter #BlackLIVESMatter!
