Lauren Smith-Fields’ family deserved better
The death of Lauren Smith-Fields, a 23year-old Bridgeport woman, was a tragedy under any circumstances. The mystery and lack of transparency that surrounded her death made a difficult situation all the worse. Police and other authority figures must do better for families, people in crisis and the victims themselves.
Smith-Fields died in December after meeting a man on a dating app who reportedly then found her unresponsive the next morning. A medical examiner in recent days ruled Smith-Fields’ death from an accidental overdose of a combination of fentanyl, prescription drugs and alcohol.
But it appears to have taken heavy pressure from her family and friends to prod authorities into action. Smith-Fields died on a Sunday morning, but her family was not informed by police until that Monday. When her family went to her apartment after not hearing from her, they found a handwritten note on the door with a phone number. That put them in touch with the landlord, who told them Smith-Fields had died.
It was only after an outpouring on social media followed by a march in Bridgeport on Jan. 23 to mark what would have been her 24th birthday that officials seemed to take serious interest. An investigation is currently underway.
It’s a sad truth in America that a comparable situation where the races of the people involved were switched is almost unimaginable. Had a young white woman died under mysterious circumstances and the last person to see her alive been a Black man, it’s likely this story would have played out very differently.
No family should have to fight to make people in charge show interest in their loved one’s death. But that is how this story has played out, and it shows how far we have to go as a society.
The past week has seen a belated flurry of activity from all parties concerning Smith-Fields’ last day. The man she met on the dating app is said to be cooperating with investigators, and police are actively looking into the situation to find out what happened. If, as seems possible, there are no criminal charges filed in the case, it would still give family members some peace to know that all avenues were explored.
The case also highlights the dangers of fentanyl. A synthetic opioid, the drug is increasingly being substituted for other substances by dealers, often without a user’s knowledge. Lawmakers in Hartford are exploring ways to get a handle on a scourge that is causing an uptick in deaths around the state, but everyone needs to be aware of the dangers.
But wherever the investigation leads, the pain caused by the initial reaction to Smith-Fields’ death should not be forgotten. Nothing could be done to bring her back, but the least the family deserved was information and some compassion. The people who loved her deserved that much.
It’s something everyone in a position of authority around the state should remember the next time such a case arises.
Nothing could be done to bring her back, but the least the family deserved was information and some compassion. The people who loved her deserved that much.