Connecticut social media influencer Lauren Smith-Fields was found dead last month in her Bridgeport apartment. The 23-year-old, African-American woman reportedly died following a date set up on the Bumble app.
A white man named Matthew LaFountain, 37, called 911 on December 12 after he reportedly discovered Lauren Smith-Fields unresponsive with a nosebleed. Medical examiners ruled her death as the result of an accidental drug overdose.
Lauren Smith-Fields’ mysterious passing became national news because many social media users highlighted the situation. The local law enforcement agency also faced significant scrutiny for how investigators handled the case.
In particular, Lauren Smith-Fields’ family claimed the Bridgeport police’s handling of the probe was “racially insensitive.” Her loved ones also questioned why officers allegedly did not recover critical evidence from the apartment until two weeks after she died.
On January 23, Hip Hop artist Cardi B tweeted about how the media was covering Lauren Smith-Fields and Matthew LaFountain. The Invasion of Privacy album creator’s first post included a screenshot of a Daily Mail headline.
“Naa this man [doesn’t] look old and it’s not old at all and yet the media made it seem like she was wit [an] old ass man lookin to trick on her. I’m disgusted on how they spin the narrative [especially] because I see people saying online ‘that’s [what] she gets,'” wrote Cardi B.
That same evening, the “Bodak Yellow” performer added, “This is sooo scary!!! A fictional murderer character but in real life!! Justice for Lauren. Connecticut you have failed that young lady!!!”
Apparently, those tweets by Cardi B caused the Bridgeport Police Department to take Lauren Smith-Fields’ death more seriously. Smith Fields’ family attorney, Darnell Crosland, credited the Bronx-bred musician for drawing attention to the case.
TMZ reports:
The family’s attorney says Cardi B’s Sunday night tweet calling for “Justice for Lauren” — and accusing Connecticut of failing her — brought extra attention and made a big impact … because there’s been a ton of progress ever since. Cardi’s got an open invitation to check in with the family, in Connecticut or virtually, for an update on the investigation’s progress… and we’re told Lauren’s fam is overjoyed CB used her platform to speak out on behalf of their loved one.
Cardi B also made headlines in recent weeks for pledging to cover the funeral costs for the victims of the Twin Parks North West Complex fire in the Bronx, New York. The 29-year-old Cardi Tries star also recently won a landmark liable lawsuit against YouTuber Tasha K that could lead to more legal consequences for content creators who purposely share disinformation about celebrities on their platforms.
#darnell https://t.co/cV4VUUpHog
