Photo Courtesy of Lauren Smith-Fields/ Instagram
Two detectives from the Bridgeport Police Department have been suspended and placed on administrative leave over the fallout from the mishandling of the Lauren Smith-Fields and Brenda Rawls cases. Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim is also having the department’s Internal Affairs Division investigate the wayward cops under the watchful eye of Deputy Chief James Baraja.
ABC News reported that Detectives Angel Llanos and Kevin Cronin may face punishment for their “lack of sensitivity to the public and failure to follow police policy.”
“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.”
“My disappointment and demand for accountability in these and any other matter brought to my attention will remain until all the questions are answered to the satisfaction of all,” he added.
Llanos and Cronin have been accused of mishandling the inquiries into the deaths of Rawls and Smith-Fields. Both women died on Dec.12 under mysterious circumstances, and the detectives failed to collect evidence or question potential suspects.
Rawls’ body was discovered in her Bridgeport home after her family could not contact her for several days. The victim’s sister, Dorothy Rawls Washington, said she spoke with her sister every other day. Rawls mentioned plans to visit a male friend who lived down the street. After two days of no contact, the family became concerned. Upon finding her body, police, detectives failed to investigate what happened.
Smith-Fields, a TikTok influencer, was found dead in her apartment after meeting Matthew LaFountain on the Bumble dating app. He claimed after a night of drinking and watching movies, the 23-year-old woman was unresponsive the next morning. A coroner ruled she died from an accidental overdose of alcohol and fentanyl.
Her family maintains that Bridgeport detectives blew them off and disregarded their concerns during their half-a**ed investigation. They have since filed a lawsuit against the city and the police department.
Smith-Fields family’s attorney, Darnell Crosland, said, “It’s happening all too often with Black girls missing across this world, across this country, and no one says anything,” he said. “When a white woman goes missing, the whole world drops everything. We are done with this valuation.”
Depending on the Internal Affairs inquiry outcome, the detectives may lose their jobs.