Brian Laundrie’s parents reportedly filed a motion on Wednesday, asking a Florida Court to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by the parents of Gabby Petito earlier in March.
Gabby’s parents alleged in their lawsuit that Brian’s parents knew their son killed his girlfriend and were working to help him get out of the country. The lawsuit also alleged that Brian told his parents about the crime he committed when he returned home alone without Gabby around August 28, 2021. Brian’s parents declined to respond to Gabby’s parents and law enforcement officers when they were asked about the 22-year-old woman’s whereabouts.
Gabby’s family also claim that Christopher and Roberta Laundrie already knew that their son had killed his girlfriend when they issued a statement through their attorney saying they hoped she would be found alive and safe, according to the suit, per Fox News.
“Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie knew of the mental suffering and anguish of Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt, and knew that they could alleviate, at least in part, such mental suffering and anguish by disclosing what they knew about the well-being and the location of the remains of Gabrielle Petito, yet they repeatedly refused to do so,” the lawsuit says.
The motion to dismiss filed this week says the Laundries had “fundamental constitutional rights to silence,” adding that the family had a “general constitutional right not to speak on any topic and a more specific constitutional right not to speak in the face of a criminal investigation.”
In a statement, the Laundries lawyer Steve Bertolino called the Petitos’ lawsuit “baseless and frivolous.”
“The Laundries have exercised their constitutional right to refrain from speaking and have relied on counsel to speak for them. This is not only common practice in our civilized community but it embodies the exercise of fundamental rights under the United States and Florida Constitutions,” Bertolino said, adding he was confident the suit will be dismissed.
