Gabby Petito’s Parents Sue Utah Police For $50 Million Following Her Death

Gabby Petito’s parents have filed a $50 million lawsuit against the Utah Police after their daughter was found dead in September 2021.

According to a press conference on Thursday, Nichole Schmidt and Joe Petito allege that the 22-year-old would still be alive if the Moab Police Department would have done more during their August 2021 interaction with Gabby and her fiancé Brian Laundrie, who killed her weeks later.

WATCH: Gabby Petito’s Father Shares Emotional Message One Year After Her Body Was Found

“The family would like me to emphasize that the purpose of this lawsuit is to honor Gabby’s legacy by demanding accountability and working through change in the system to protect victims of domestic abuse and violence and prevent such tragedies in the future,” attorney James W. McConkie said during the news conference.

The family claims authorities mishandled the contact they made with the couple following reports from bystanders who said they witnessed a domestic dispute between them.

“The officers egregiously misinterpreted Gabby’s extreme emotional distress, seeing it as the cause of the domestic violence rather than its result. Officer Pratt, in particular, was fundamentally biased in his approach to the investigation, choosing to believe Gabby’s abuser, ignoring evidence that Gabby was the victim and intentionally looking for loopholes to get around the requirements of Utah law and his duty to protect Gabby,” the lawsuit reads in part.

WATCH: Gabby Petito’s Mom Nichole Schmidt Slams Brian Laundrie’s Written Confession: ‘We Know How She Died’