Bridgeport police released the cause of death for Brenda Lee Rawls — saying the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found that Rawls died of natural causes.
The department has faced criticism for its handling of the deaths of Rawls and Lauren Smith-Fields, Black women who were both found dead on Dec. 12. Their families have accused the Bridgeport Police Department of insensitivity and botching the investigations.
The department has said it will soon close Rawls’ case. Smith-Fields’ death remains under police investigation after the medical examiner found fentanyl in her system.
Rawls’ sister Dorothy Washington spoke to Connecticut Public a day after learning that, according to the state coroner, her sister died of heart problems related to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with underlying diabetes.
“The family’s case is still open,” said Washington. “I don’t know what case they’re saying they closed.”
Rebeca Garcia, acting chief of the Bridgeport Police Department, posted a video on Twitter after getting word Tuesday of the report on Rawls’ cause and manner of death.
“We recognize that waiting for the results can be agonizing,” Garcia said. “I hope that by receiving these results, it will aid in closure and in healing for friends, family, and members of the community.”
Today the CT OCME determined cause & manner of death of Ms. Brenda Lee Rawls certified as Natural. The OCME notified the family with results of their findings.
— Bridgeport Police (@bptpolice) February 23, 2022
The Department continues to express heartfelt sympathies to the Rawls family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/wmXzDQEDaG
That statement shocked Washington.
“It was very insensitive, very disrespectful on my family, as well as my sister’s death, for them to not even give the family a chance to digest what we had just heard from the medical examiner,” Washington said.
Washington said she also heard that detectives will no longer be looking into her sister’s death. Bridgeport police confirmed that the investigation into Rawls’ death will close once they have a physical copy of the state medical examiner’s report.
“Due to the potential for pending litigation, the Bridgeport police have no comment at this time,” said Scott Apple, a spokesperson for the department.
Washington expects more from the department.
“They need to be held accountable for not investigating my sister’s death, mishandling her death and the investigation that they never started,” she said.
For Washington, her issues with the Bridgeport Police Department began after she reached out the state medical examiner on Dec. 14, she said. And since that time, Washington said she hasn’t talked to a police investigator.
Her family's attorney, Darnell Crosland, has no confidence in the police department. Crosland wanted police to dig deeper into Rawls going into cardiac arrest at the time of her death. He says the report leaves more questions than answers.
“To add insult to injury, the family has heard nothing from Acting Chief Rebeca Garcia, yet the acting chief was quick to issue a press statement closing an investigation she never started,” Crosland said in a written statement emailed to Connecticut Public. “This is unacceptable and insensitive to this grieving family.”
He’s demanding that Bridgeport's mayor take charge of the situation.
In January, Mayor Joe Ganim suspended two police officers involved in investigating the deaths of Rawls and Smith-Fields.
Ganim said in a statement at the time that he was “extremely disappointed” with the leadership of the Bridgeport Police Department.
Bridgeport police say that an internal affairs investigation into the detectives who looked into Rawls’ death will continue.
