Bridgeport, Connecticut detectives Kevin Cronin and Angel Llanos—who were involved in the Lauren Smith-Fields case—have been suspended, according to a statement from the city’s mayor.
Mayor Joseph P. Ganim said that the detectives have been placed on administrative leave after showing a “lack of sensitivity to the public and failure to follow police policy,” per ABC News. They will now be investigated by the police’s internal affairs office for both the Smith-Fields case and the case of Brenda Lee Rawls, who was found dead on Dec. 12.
“It is an unacceptable failure if policies were not followed,” Ganim said. “To the families, friends and all who care about the human decency that should be shown in these situations in this case by members of the Bridgeport Police Department, I am very sorry.”
The mayor added that both cases have been reassigned after the supervisory officer overseeing them resigned on Friday. The announcement follows the Connecticut chief medical examiner’s office saying that Smith-Fields’ death was an “accident” and that the cause was “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine and alcohol.”
Smith-Fields was found dead on Dec. 12, after meeting a man via a dating app, and both her family and Rawls’ family claim police did not inform them of their deaths. Smith-Fields’ family is currently suing Bridgeport, in connection with the police department, and accusing the city of mishandling the case, which the family’s attorney, Darnell Crosland, has called a violation of the 1983 Civil Rights Act.
Both Lauren’s mother, Shantell, and brother, Lakeem Jetter, spoke with Complex this past week about how Lauren’s case—which has drawn attention from artists like Cardi B and BIA—has been handled by the city. Crosland told Complex that lubrication, a used condom (with semen), a pill, and a sheet with blood stains have not been received as evidence in the case. The evidence was found by Shantell, Lakeem, and other family members 17 days after Lauren was first discovered dead.
“They’re saying that they didn’t need us,” Shantell said of finding out about her death from a landlord. “When a person passes away, [police] have 24 hours to reach out by phone or knock on door.”
Both Smith-Fields’ and Rawls’ cases have been reassigned and are under active investigation.
