The family of Christina Yuna Lee is suing the New York Police Department (NYPD) for taking too long to break into her Chinatown apartment and save her from the hands of a career criminal last year.
Lee, 35, was fatally stabbed in her home at 111 Chrystie Street in the early morning hours of Feb. 13, 2022. The man accused of her murder, Assamad Nash, was found hiding under her bed after trying to flee through the fire escape.
Surveillance footage shows the moment Nash — a homeless man with now at least eight arrests dating back to 2015 — allegedly followed Lee into the apartment. A neighbor called 911 after hearing her screams.
Two NYPD officers arrived at the apartment at around 4:25 a.m., according to the suit filed earlier this month. Lee stopped screaming and Nash spoke to the police using a fake woman’s voice, telling them that no help was necessary, the New York Daily News noted.
Lee’s home remained closed for over an hour after police arrived.
As per the suit, it was not until 5:40 a.m. when Emergency Service Unit officers broke in and found Lee in a bathtub with more than 40 stab wounds.
Lee’s family is suing the NYPD for allegedly denying or unreasonably delaying assistance during her time of need, which subsequently caused her to suffer until her death. They are seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
“Despite having reason to believe Ms. Lee’s life was in imminent danger, [the officers] failed to gain entry to Ms. Lee’s apartment or otherwise provide her with any potentially life-saving police or medical assistance at that time,” the suit says, as per the Daily Beast.
The family is also suing the police for allegedly failing to maintain safety in and around Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
The suit cites the fatal stabbing of delivery worker Sala Miah near the area in 2021.
“By failing to control dangerous conditions in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, (the NYPD) intentionally, recklessly, and negligently created a nuisance,” says the suit.
Nash pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, burglary and sexually motivated burglary in March 2022. He is still awaiting trial as of this writing.
