Prague family granted $11.6 million judgement in wrongful death lawsuit

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Prague family granted $11.6 million judgement in wrongful ****** lawsuit

PRAGUE, Okla. (

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) – A Lincoln County District Court judge has sided with the family of a teen

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after her family filed a wrongful ****** lawsuit.

Alaunna Raffield ***** December 8, 2020. Her family found her in their garage with a gunshot wound to the head.

“About 6:15 that morning, Heather got up to let the dogs out, and I was in there getting ready for work,” Kevin Williams, Raffield’s stepfather told News 4 in a 2022 interview. “Heather was kneeling down next to Raffield. She was lying down on the ground flat out on her back,” he said. “So we called 911.”

LOCAL NEWS: Teen once charged for ******** father in Oklahoma now charged for ******** mother in Florida

Raffield’s family told News 4 they never heard a gunshot and police asked questions about her dominant hand and if she was involved in any type of physical altercation.

A **** powder residue test was never conducted on Raffield’s head or hands, but was on her clothing after a ******** home employee washed the sweater she was wearing three times. The **** that was found several feet from her body belonged to the family but has never been positively identified as the **** used in her ******.

Police said Raffield also had relationship with an 18-year-old man, who admitted to police that he logged into Raffield’s social media account after her ****** to get pictures. He also admitted to investigators that he is the one responsible for multiple cryptic messages sent from Raffield’s account after her ******.

Authorities and the medical examiner ruled her ****** as a ********. The Prague Police Department says they closed the case. The OSBI says they never opened one. The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office told News 4 in 2022 the case was an open investigation but when News 4 reached out to the DA September 13, 2024 for comment, we never heard back.

In 2022, Raffield’s family filed a wrongful ****** civil suit against the man who admitted to going into her social media. Two years later, no ********* complaints have been filed against that man, so News 4 is not identifying him.

The case has played out in Lincoln County District Court over that two-year span with minimal updates until September 12.

“We secured an $11.6 million judgment this week,” said Brandon Pierson with Palmer Law, which has represented Raffield’s family. “Unfortunately, being civil in nature, it’s symbolic…but it forever and officially applies legal culpability…in the ****** of Alaunna Raffield.”

Pierson’s firm believes, along with Raffield’s family, that the OSBI should have handled the case to potentially avoid having to pursue civil damages.

Court records say a judge granted a judgment in their favor because the defendant hasn’t been showing up. Pierson says the defendant showed up September 12, but that a judge granted the judgment regardless.

LOCAL NEWS: Family offers $10,000 in double ******* cold case

“We had established everything that we needed to be granted a judgment under Oklahoma law,” said Pierson.

In the documents, the judge notes that the defendant’s shocking behavior also played a factor which he admitted to in a deposition. The answer he provided related to the admission he logged into Raffield’s social media after her ****** and sent the messages.

“This generally makes me upset with myself that, I did something like that,” the defendant said in a direct quote. “But I did it, you know. I can only face my consequences.”

The defendant can still appeal the decision, which Pierson said he has every legal right to do; but Pierson believes this might be a big step forward. He said Raffield’s family has struggled with feelings of hopelessness and grief over four painful years.

“We hope that there will be a rejuvenation in the investigation as a whole,” said Pierson.

Pierson says his office did hear from the Lincoln County DA Friday, that asked his team a few questions about the case.

No amount of money will bring Raffield back, but Pierson says it’s a start towards taking a harsher look at a case her family can’t forget.

“You hate bringing out monetary value as it relates to a life, but as far as, long as this family is concerned, it means more to them than anybody to have this legal culpability,” said Pierson.

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