'Cold-hearted': Gabby Petito's parents sue Laundrie's family lawyer for knowing their daughter was dead

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A statement released Tuesday, December 6 by Petito's parents reads, "When they did choose to speak, it was through statements issued by Steven Bertolino." It continues, "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," reported Daily Mail. Earlier this year, Bertolino defended the Laundries, saying they did "everything the right way." 

The lawsuit involving Laundrie's family stated that they "exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct" after Petito's disappearance and is requesting "just compensation for the damages they have suffered, together with costs, and such other relief." "What I knew, or what Chris and Roberta knew, we did not have to disclose, to any third party, and specifically to law enforcement, or the Petito family," Bertolino said in an interview with NewsNation. "I did everything the right way. We have no regrets. The parents did everything the right way, and they have no regrets."

When questioned about what Laundries knew about Petito's death, Bertolino declined to answer, saying it "wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment" given the pending lawsuit. There were also notions that Laundrie's parents were aiding their son in escaping the country. But his attorney rejected the claim and said, "Chris and Roberta did nothing but stay in their home." "There was speculation that there were burner phones, that we were dressing him up in funny outfits and sending him across the Mexican border, sending him across certain bodies of water to other countries in the Bahamas or perhaps out on the Appalachian trail." Blaming the media he added, "All of that was fill-it work for the networks that had to fill in some time 24/7."