After Iowa Police Ignored Her Pleas for Help, Her Estranged Husband Killed Her
In October 2022, Angela Prichard was murdered by her estranged husband, Christopher Prichard. The crime wasn’t entirely unpredictable; Angela Prichard had repeatedly sought help from police months before she was killed. But officers did nothing, even ignoring Christopher Prichard’s repeated violations of a restraining order.
Angela Prichard’s family is now suing the city of Bellevue, Iowa, claiming that police inaction directly led to Angela Prichard’s death and deprived her of her due process rights.
In April 2022, Christopher Prichard was arrested on a domestic violence charge against Angela Prichard, and a no-contact order was issued—though that order was terminated less than a month later. Around July or August, the suit states that Angela Prichard found a tracking device in her car and several hidden cameras in her home. However, when she called the police to report the devices—a violation of Iowa anti-stalking laws—the officers did nothing.
Christopher Prichard also sent Angela Prichard a series of threatening text messages, including one telling her “it is going to get real fucking ugly.” A few days later, he told her he would “destroy her business.” Again, when Angela Prichard informed police after both incidents, they did not act.
On September 1, 2022, a temporary restraining order (TRO) was filed against Christopher Prichard. The next day, Angela Prichard requested a police escort to go to her home, which she stated she would not be staying at until a safety system could be installed. While Christopher Prichard had recently moved out of the house, Angela Prichard and the police officers with her a
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