Gabby Petito's family sues Brian Laundrie's parents

The parents of Brian Laundrie are now facing a lawsuit in Florida launched by Gabby Petito's family, who are claiming that the couple helped their son escape authorities after having found out that he killed the 22-year-old.

At the start of July last year, Petito and Laundrie started what was supposed to be a cross-country trip living out of a white Ford Transit van owned by Petito. Laundrie showed up on Sept. 1, 2021, at his parents' home in North Port, Florida.

Petito's mother reported her missing to police on Sept. 11 and her remains were found on Sept. 19, 2021, at Bridger–Teton National Forest in Wyoming.

An autopsy later revealed Petito died by strangulation. "It is believed that on August 27, 2021, Brian Laundrie murdered Gabrielle Petito," the complaint reads.

The lawsuit alleges that "Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie exhibited extreme and outrageous conduct which constitutes behavior, under the circumstances, which goes beyond all possible bounds of decency and is regarded as shocking, atrocious, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community."

"As a direct and proximate result of the willfulness and maliciousness of Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt had been caused to suffer pain and suffering, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of capacity for enjoyment of life experienced in the past and to be experienced in the future," the Petito family's civil complaint continues.

The suit alleges that Laundrie confessed to his parents on Aug. 28, 2021, and that the family hired lawyer Steve Bertolino, a longtime friend, on Sept. 2, 2021.

Bertolino released a statement on behalf of the Laundrie family:

"Assuming everything the Petitos allege in their lawsuit is true, which we deny, this lawsuit does not change the fact that the Laundries had no obligation to speak to Law Enforcement or any third-party including the Petito family."

"This fundamental legal principle renders the Petito's claims to be baseless under the law," he continued, adding he has represented the Laundries "for many years."