The family of Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, announced on Sunday that they plan to launch a $30 million lawsuit against the City of Bridgeport.

On Dec. 12, 2021, Bridgeport Police found Smith-Fields in her apartment laying on her back on the floor, dead with dried blood in her nose.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death as an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol.

"Just to know that I will never see her again, I will never touch her again, I will never be able to tell her I love her -- it's just so hard," says Shantell Fields, Smith-Fields’ mother.

Smith-Fields' family has been critical of the Bridgeport Police Department's handling of the case and said they were not notified about her death in a timely manner.

The family was joined by their attorney, Darnell D. Crosland, as they announced the lawsuit.

Crosland says the family wants answers about exactly what happened.

"The city still has a lot of explaining to do. They've come in the room but they haven't come to the table, so they need to compensate this family for all of the damage they've gone through,” says Crosland.

News 12 Connecticut broke this story -- along with another Bridgeport woman, Brenda Lee Rawls, who died on the same day.

The City of Bridgeport says, "It is our policy never to comment on matters involving pending or future litigation."