LAFAYETTE, La. (3/8/2025) – A former Alexandria law enforcement officer arrested in Lafayette, LA for cruelty to a juvenile is also suspected in a federal lawsuit alleging excessive force and wrongful death in Rapides Parish, according to public records.
Louisiana State Police (LSP) arrested Matthew Frost, now a Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputy, on March 3, 2025, following an investigation requested by the LPSO. Detectives determined that Frost allegedly committed two acts of cruelty to a juvenile in June 2024 and authorities obtained a warrant charging him under Louisiana law. He was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Frost, 28, previously served with the Alexandria Police Department and is also suspected of playing a role in the wrongful death of Rose Marie Taylor, according to a federal lawsuit filed by Taylor’s mother.
According to The Town Talk’s Melissa Gregory (original article), the lawsuit claims that Matthew Frost and another officer, Brian Frost, used force during Taylor’s arrest, resulting in injuries that later proved fatal. The lawsuit also states that Jermaine Harris, the attorney representing Taylor’s mother, believes Brian Frost is Matthew Frost’s father.
Taylor was taken into custody on May 17, 2022, after an encounter with police. The lawsuit alleges that during her arrest, Frost and his partner forcefully removed her from a vehicle and inflicted injuries. While in custody, Taylor repeatedly requested medical treatment for pain in her wrist and body. However, the lawsuit claims that Frost and another officer, Alexander Helminger, falsely reported that she refused treatment.
Two days later, Taylor was found unresponsive in her jail cell. Emergency responders administered Narcan, suspecting an overdose. Despite medical efforts, she died on May 30, 2022. A forensic pathologist ruled her death a homicide due to complications from blunt force injuries.
The lawsuit suspects Frost, Brian Frost, and Helminger violated Taylor’s constitutional rights through excessive force and medical neglect. It further alleges that the City of Alexandria and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office failed to properly train and supervise their officers.
Now, with Frost’s arrest for cruelty to a juvenile, legal experts suggest this could influence the wrongful death lawsuit. Authorities have not confirmed whether additional charges will follow.
This remains a developing story.
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