An Orlando couple has brought a $10 million lawsuit against the Orlando Police Department and several other defendants after what they describe as a traumatic and mistaken SWAT raid on their home in August 2020, where they were accused of child pornography offenses that they did not commit, as per a lawsuit cited by WFTV.
Christian and Laurie Ann Campbell are suing the city of Orlando and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) because they believe a police raid, which happened while Laurie was seeking emergency care for their dog, caused the dog's death due to delayed treatment. During the raid, Christian and their 18-month-old daughter were held at gunpoint, and the child was left in a dirty diaper for hours. The lawsuit claims negligence, wrongful invasion, and psychological distress. The Campbells also say that officers wrongly told neighbors they were involved in child pornography and sex crimes, damaging their reputation in the community.
The Campbells were detained without the ability to contact legal representation or even to tend to their daughter, whose need for basic care during the duration of the investigation was seemingly ignored, as detailed by court documents and reported by Law & Crime.
Though the Orlando Police Department has refrained from commenting directly on the case due to pending litigation, they have expressed the seriousness with which they treat allegations of child abuse and their commitment to the safety of vulnerable children – the investigation had originated from a cyber tip regarding the suspected production and sharing of child pornography. Still, ultimately, the Campbells were never charged. The accusations were proved to be misplaced after the true perpetrator was apprehended in Indiana. This ordeal led the Campbells to relocate due to fears of retaliation and ongoing trauma.
