Woman, 23, found dead after Bumble date as family threaten to sue police

Police have re-opened an investigation into the death of a student whose body was discovered hours after a Bumble date.

Cops said Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, was killed in Connecticut, US, by a lethal cocktail of drugs after meeting a man from the online dating app in December.

The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner recently ruled her death was an accident, caused by "acute intoxication".

The combined effects of fentanyl, promethazine, hydroxyzine, and alcohol caused the young woman to lose her life, it was decided.

But six weeks after she was found dead in her apartment, police confirmed they will now open a criminal investigation.

The student had been on a date with a man she met on Bumble (Facebook)

Police initially said it was drugs that cost her her life (Facebook)

She had been on a date with Matthew LaFountain, a 37-year-old design engineer, it has now been revealed.

It comes after her family and friends accused cops of not giving her case enough attention - and threatened to sue the force.

Police are focusing their attention on "the factors that led to her untimely death," acting police Chief Rebeca Garcia said in a statement.

"Fentanyl is a strong narcotic associated with an epidemic of opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States," the police said. "The City of Bridgeport is not immune to this epidemic."

She had bene on a date with Matthew LaFountain, a 37-year-old design engineer (Facebook)

A day after Ms Smith-Fields died, her family say came to her home to find a note on her door.

"When I got there, there was a note on the door saying, 'If you're looking for Lauren, call this number'," Ms Smith-Fields' mother, Shantell Fields, told CBS News.

Her father Everett paid for a second autopsy as the family claim they are not getting the answers they need.

Her devastated family have now threatened to sue police (nbc)

"Without a doubt, we know that my daughter was not a drug user, and I had a second autopsy myself paid out of pocket because we felt so uncomfortable with the way it was handled," her father Everett told News 12.

Attorney Darnell Crosland, who is working for the family, accused police of possibly covering up evidence.

In a letter, he said they failed to properly investigate the death.

She was found dead at her property hours after going on the date (Google)

“The police department has been racially insensitive to this family had has treated this family with no respect and has violated their civil right,” he wrote.

“They have failed to investigate this matter, and they refuse to view the last person with Lauren Smith-Fields before she died as a person of interest. This behaviour is unacceptable.”

In a statement, the City of Bridgeport announced that a review of the case is underway.

Police are now focusing their attention on "the factors that led to her untimely death" (nbc)

"The Bridgeport Police Department takes these concerns very seriously," it read.

"The Command Staff of the Detective Bureau is reviewing the handling of this case to ensure that best practices were and are being followed.

"It is imperative to note that the death of Lauren Smith-Fields remains an ongoing investigation," the statement added.

"Our department extends its deepest condolences to the family of Lauren."