Mitrice Richardson's Parents May Get $900K Settlement From County

Los Angeles County could be nearing a $900,000 settlement with the parents of Mitrice Richardson on a wrongful death lawsuit, City News Service reported Tuesday afternoon.

The county Board of Supervisors approved a settlement in a closed-door meeting a week ago, subject to all parties signing a final agreement, county counsel Roger Grabo told CNS.

"The settlement is not final,'' Grabo said, according to CNS.

Richardson went missing in September 2009 when she was released from the custody of the  shortly after midnight.

She was booked earlier in the evening for failing to pay an $89 bill at Geoffrey's, a restaurant in Malibu.

The department's decision to release Richardson from the station at about 1:25 a.m. without a cellphone, purse or a car garnered heavy criticism from her family and many others.

Richardson's remains were found last August in a remote area of Malibu Canyon. Her parents have also been critical with the handling of their daughter's skeletal remains.

Richardson's parents, Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson, both filed civil negligence lawsuits against the sheriff's department that were later consolidated. They are not a couple.

The settlement would be split between the parents, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Sheriff’s department spokesman Steve Whitmore said he would not comment on the matter until the settlement was final.

Attorneys for the parents did not immediately return calls for comment.

This is an ongoing story. Stay tuned for more updates.