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JUSTICE FOR GABBY
GABBY Petito's family wore subtle - but powerful - messages in honor of their slain daughter as they walked into court on Wednesday.
The Petitos sued the family of Brian Laundrie - Gabby's fiance who authorities said claimed responsibility for her death in a suicide note - for allegedly withholding information about their daughter.
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The Laundries' lawyer filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Both sides presented their arguments in Sarasota County, Florida court on Wednesday.
Gabby's parents Nicole Schmidt and Joe Petito, who divorced and remarried, held their spouses' hands as they walked to the courtroom together.
The Sun captured the moment in exclusive photos and video.
Schmidt clutched her necklace locket that holds Gabby's ashes, and they all wore "Justice for Gabby" bracelets, which are meant to represent Gabby's life; not her death, her parents said.
After the hearing, Schmidt held out a small prayer card that their lawyer said was made by a well-wisher from Australia who drew an image of Gabby as an angel.
As the family left, she hugged her lawyer and crossed her fingers.
ARGUMENTS IN FIRST COURT APPEARANCE
Wednesday was the start of the bombshell civil hearing in Sarasota, Florida, where Gabby's parents sued Brian Laundrie's family earlier this year.
They claimed the Laundries knew that their son killed Gabby and knew where her body was located but remained quiet and allegedly prepared to get Brian out of the country.
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Both of Gabby's parents were in the courtroom while the Laundrie family and their main lawyer Steve Bertolino weren't present.
The lawyers squared off and presented their arguments about whether the lawsuit should be dismissed or not.
Laundrie's family attorney Matthew Luca said in court that they had a right to remain silent.
He was challenged by Judge Hunter Carroll, who's presiding over the case, if Bertolino's lone comment about hoping Gabby and her family are reunited was made on behalf of Brian's family.
Gabby's family's lawyer Patrick Reilly said their silence - and Bertolino's lone comment - while allegedly knowing Gabby was dead provided false hope and invoked emotional distress.
Carroll will weigh the two sides and is expected to make a final ruling in two weeks.
After the hearing, Reilly addressed the media with a rhetorical question: What crime did Brian Laundrie or the Laundrie family commit?
While Gabby was missing, he said they weren't under investigation or considered suspects.
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At that time, no one knew a crime happened, Reilly said, so there was no need for any of the Laundries to remain silent.
Luca - who represents the Laundrie family - didn't publicly address the media after the hearing.
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