Joseph Petito, the father of Gabby Petito, expressed his frustration towards the Moab Police Department for downplaying their alleged mistakes during a traffic stop in August 2021, just two weeks before Gabby’s tragic murder. The family’s lawyers are pushing for their wrongful death lawsuit to proceed, despite Moab’s attempts to dismiss it as a mere money-making scheme.
In the bodycam footage, Moab Police Officer Eric Pratt can be heard emphasizing the importance of following the domestic assault code to protect victims from further harm. Unfortunately, the officers failed to adhere to the law, leading to Gabby’s untimely death at the hands of her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.
The Petito family is not seeking financial gain through the lawsuit but rather accountability and change within law enforcement to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. They have been advocating for the implementation of mandatory lethality assessment protocols in domestic violence cases, which could potentially save lives.
Despite Moab’s motion to dismiss the case based on government immunity laws, the Petito family’s legal team, led by former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Christine Durham, is determined to hold the police department accountable for their actions. The family’s pursuit of justice goes beyond seeking monetary compensation; it is about ensuring that law enforcement agencies fulfill their duty to protect and serve the community.
Gabby’s murder could have been prevented if the officers had followed the proper protocols and laws in place to address domestic violence situations. The tragic loss of Gabby has sparked a nationwide conversation about the need for law enforcement reform and the importance of taking domestic violence cases seriously.
As the legal battle continues, the Petito family remains committed to seeking justice for Gabby and advocating for change within law enforcement agencies to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. Their fight for accountability serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from negligence and failure to uphold the law.