Gabby Petito’s Family Win Lawsuit #1 — Awarded $3 Million From Brian Laundrie’s Estate!

L. F.

Gabby Petito’s family has received at least some modicum of justice… they won their wrongful death lawsuit!

On Thursday, the late travel vlogger’s parents Nichole Schmidt and Joe Petito were awarded $3 million in damages from Brian Laundrie’s estate. They have multiple lawsuits going — this one, filed in May, was against Brian himself. As our readers will know, he admitted to killing their daughter in his notebook before taking his own life. While he can’t face the justice system, his estate can still be sued for damages.

According to Brian Entin, a journalist who has been following the Petito-Laundrie case since the beginning, a judgment was reached early Thursday morning in Sarasota County, Florida, roughly one year after the 22-year-old’s remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Related: Gabby’s Mother Shares Heartbreaking Words On Her Grief

On Twitter, the reporter revealed:

“A final judgement for $3,000,000 has been reached in the lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito’s parents against Brian Laundrie’s estate, according to the family’s attorney.”

He also confirmed Brian, who was found dead a month after Gabby in Florida’s Carlton Reserve, did not have even close to that much money. The important thing is that whatever he did have will go to the Gabby Petito Foundation — the nonprofit created by Joe and Nichole which helps missing persons and victims of domestic abuse. At this time, it’s unclear if any future revenue produced by the Laundrie estate will also go to Gabby’s parents. Entin explained:

“Brian Laundrie did not have 3 million – it’s an arbitrary number – but whatever money is received will go to the Gabby Petito foundation, the family says. The trial which had been scheduled for December, 2022 will not be held.”

In a statement to CNN following the court win, the Petito family’s lawyer Patrick Reilly reacted to the ruling, saying:

“The Petito family lost their daughter, and they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer. No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie. Brian did not have $3 million; it’s an arbitrary number. Whatever monies they do receive will help Gabby’s family in their endeavors with the Gabby Petito Foundation.”

He added:

“The Gabby Petito Foundation will continue to address the needs of organizations that support locating missing persons and to provide aid to organizations that assist victims of domestic violence situations, through education, awareness, and prevention strategies. Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt wish to turn their personal tragedy into a positive. It is their hope that Gabby’s foundation will bring these important issues into the forefront of the public eye to the benefit of all our communities.”

The Petitos have also filed for $50 million in damages against the Moab City Police Department for failure to investigate further into the domestic violence case and protect their daughter. Also, the family still has a lawsuit against Brain’s parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, alleging they knew their son killed Gabby and kept that knowledge from the Petitos, possibly even aiding in his escape from the cops. Their court date on that case is scheduled for June 30, 2023, in Sarasota County.

We are wishing the Petito family all the best as they continue facing these legal battles while mourning the loss of their daughter.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.

[Image via Gabby Petito/Instagram]

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