Gabby Petito’s Family Files Amended Complaint Against Moab City Police

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Gabby Petito’s Family Files Amended Complaint Against Moab City Police

By Steven Jensen
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March 2, 2023
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The family of Gabby Petito filed a First Amended Complaint today (March 1, 2023) against Moab City Police, based on new information that has come to light regarding the failures of the Moab City Police Department and its officers that contributed to the cause of Gabby Petito’s death. 

The amendments include multiple damning admissions made by Officer Eric Pratt, demonstrating that (1) he knew Brian was an emotion and mental threat to Gabby, (2) that Brian demonstrated many dangerous red flags, and (3) that he knowingly and willfully chose to not follow the law to protect Gabby.  Pratt stated he would rather be kicked out of the police department than follow the requirements of the law to protect her.     

Further, Moab City Police had agreed to implement the Lethality Assessment Protocol (“LAP”) in 2018 and 2019 (for 3 years), but they were not really doing anything to employ the LAP in practice at the time of Moab responded in Gabby’s case.

Statement of Nichole Schmidt:  “Our daughter, Gabby, died as a result of intimate partner violence that could have and should have been identified by law enforcement using the lethality assessment. We believe that if the lethality assessment had been properly used in her situation, together with the recommended support and resources, Gabby would still be alive today.” 

The parents of Gabby Petito, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, have recently traveled to Utah voice support for S.B. 117, a bill that mandates all Utah law enforcement agencies conduct a lethality assessment for every instance of intimate partner violence.  

A copy of the First Amended Complaint, filed March 1, 2023:

A copy of the First Amended Complaint, filed March 1, 2023,with amendments highlighted for convenient review:   

Those who are experiencing intimate partner violence, or know someone who is, are urged to call the Utah Domestic Violence Link Line, 1-800-897-LINK (5465), or the Utah Rape and Sexual Assault Crisis Line, 801-736-4356.

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