Gabby Petito’s Parents’ Civil Lawsuit Proceedings Against Laundries Begin
Gabby Petito’s parents filed a civil lawsuit against their daughter’s suspected killer Brian Laundrie’s parents. While the Laundries motioned to dismiss the complaint in May, they went before a judge…
NORTH PORT, FL – SEPTEMBER 16: Tara Petito (L) and Joe Petito react while the City of North Port Chief of Police Todd Garrison speaks during a news conference for their missing daughter Gabby Petito on September 16, 2021 in North Port, Florida. Gabby Petito went missing while on a cross country trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie and has not been seen or heard from since late August. Police said no criminality is suspected at this time but her fiance, Brian Laundrie, has refused to speak with law enforcement. Laundrie has be identified as a person of interest but investigators are solely focused on finding Petito. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
Gabby Petito's parents filed a civil lawsuit against their daughter's suspected killer Brian Laundrie's parents. While the Laundries motioned to dismiss the complaint in May, they went before a judge for the first time yesterday.
In the lawsuit, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt say that Chris and Roberta Laundrie knew that their son killed Gabby and did nothing.
The complaint was filed due to “intentional infliction of emotional distress" and that after the Laundrie's attorney made a statement regarding the search for Petito and hoping she would be reunited with her family that it gave the family false hope that she would be found.
NBC2 reports that Matt Luka, the attorney for the Laundrie's, said his clients had a constitutional right to not say anything and their silence holds no weight in an emotional distress case.
Judge Carroll said within two weeks he will have a decision made on whether or not the case will go to trial, and if it does, it will happen in 2023.
The family of Gabby Petito spoke at a press conference Tuesday afternoon to speak about the Gabby Petito Foundation, aimed at helping families of missing children.
During the press conference the family was asked about their new tattoos. Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt, father Joe Petito, stepfather Jim Schmidt and stepmother Tara Petito said they all decided to get her tattoos last night to feel closer to Gabby.
The family showed their arms where you could see the words "Let it be," "Believe," a wave and a triangle with flowers just as Gabby had on her arms.
Some of the tattoos were designed by Gabby.
“We don’t stop remembering Gabby and fighting for other people like her,” Jim Schmidt said during the press conference.
Gabby Petito's Parents' Civil Lawsuit
