Gabby Petito's Parents Make A Bold New Move In Lawsuit Against The Laundries

Gabby Petito’s parents are taking everyone down that did harm intentionally or unintentionally to their daughter.

Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt are suing Steven Bertolino, Chris and Roberta Laundrie’s lawyer.

On Tuesday, December 6th, Joe and Nichole added Bertolino to their civil lawsuit Brian Laundrie’s parents.

Joe and Nichole allege that it was "insensitive, cold-hearted and outrageous" for Bertolino to express the Laundrie family's "hope" that authorities would find Gabby's remains in September 2021.

Earlier this year, Gabby’s parents filed the lawsuit against Chris and Roberta claiming they knew their son murdered Gabby and had knowledge of where her remains were.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Joe and Nichole said, “When they did choose to speak, it was through statements issued by Steven Bertolino, including a statement on September 14, 2021 that it was the 'hope' of the Laundrie family ‘that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is reunited with her family.’"

It continued, "It is believed that at the time the September 14, 2021 statement was issued, the Laundries and Steven Bertolino knew that Gabby Petito was deceased, and that under those circumstances, the statement was insensitive, cold-hearted and outrageous."

The Blast recently reported that Chris and Roberta will owe Gabby’s parents millions.

A judge in Sarasota County in Florida ruled on Thursday, November 17, in favor of Gabby’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit against Brian Laundrie’s estate.

Gabby’s mother was awarded $3 million as the administrator of Petito’s estate.

On Friday, May 13, Schmidt filed a new wrongful death lawsuit in Florida against the curator of the estate of Laundrie, according to Fox News.

Per the outlet, the lawsuit seeks wrongful death damages of at least $30,000.

It states that Brian intentionally killed Gabby, and also demands a trial by jury and judgement for compensatory damages.

“The Petito family lost their daughter, and they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer,” Patrick Reilly, attorney for Petito’s parents, said in a statement to CNN. “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.”

“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,” their family lawyer said.

When the lawsuit was initially filed, legal documents stated Gabby and Brian “became engaged to marry on or about July 2, 2020. On July 2, 2021, Brian Laundrie and Gabrielle Petito left New York in a van owned by Gabrielle Petito to take a trip to the western United States which was expected to last for several months.”

Schmidt’s last interaction with her daughter was on August 27, 2021.

“It is believed that on August 27, 2021, Brian Laundrie murdered Gabrielle Petito. The cause of her death was blunt force injuries to the head and neck with manual strangulation,” the complaint continues. “As a direct and proximate consequence of Brian Laundrie’s tortious conduct, Nichole Schmidt and Joseph Petito incurred funeral and burial expenses, and they have suffered a loss of care and comfort, and have suffered a loss of probably future companionship, society and comfort.”