McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, likened her to a nonprofit CEO for an American charity and said she would have likely made millions throughout her life. minutes. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. . Nakajjigo was a women's rights champion in her home country of Uganda; she founded a nonprofit community health center using her college tuition money, and created two reality TV shows centered around empowering women. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. / CBS Colorado. The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. Here's what lawmakers have directed schools to do, Can't take statins? "I'll respond as soon as I'm able," Jenkins said. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". The gate had been left unlatched against federal policy for two weeks prior to the tragic accident in June 2020. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. It's really a full-time job," he said. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and safety measures in our national parks, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Michaud said in, on Monday. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. Ms Nakajjigo worked to improve education and rights for women and teenage girls in her home country of Uganda and advocated to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The newly married Michaud and Nakajjigo took a weekend trip to Arches National Park as a welcome break after months of lockdown amid the pandemic, court documents said. The trial began in December and in court, per the AP, family attorney Randi McGinn reportedly argued Nakajjigo could have eventually brought in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, annually had she survived. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. But U.S. Attorney Amanda Berndt said while there's no question that the plaintiffs are entitled to a reward, a proper calculation of Nakajjigo's lost earnings must include the possibility that she might have left the workforce at some point for a variety of reasons. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. As they were leaving the park on June 13, 2020, heavy winds apparently blew the metal entrance gate into the passenger side of the vehicle, striking and killing Nakajjigo. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. Having received numerous international accolades and awards, Nakajjigo came to the United States to further her education, where she met Michaud a video streaming technology solution architect via a dating app. After seeing a pregnant 14-year-old girl die during a difficult delivery, Nakajjigo decided to use her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center that provided free reproductive health services to females aged 10-24. He no longer has a TV in his apartment because the sight of any blood is triggering, he said. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Michaud said he and Nakajjigo were two weeks shy of closing on a condo when the accident occurred, with hopes of owning a house down the road. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history, the Associated Press reported. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. Esther Nakajjigo's horrified husband was driving when a metal gate was whipped round in the wind and cut into the car where she was sitting and beheading her in Arches National Park in Utah, US. Berndt said her team in no way believes Nakajjigo was an average person, and that using reliable data to estimate her lost earnings isn't a value judgment of Nakajjigo. I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. A woman who had married her husband only three months ago has died after a horror crash saw a car park gate swing through the couple's car and cut off her head. The gate had been unsecured for the previous two weeks, despite national park requirements that prohibit gates from swinging, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. Something went wrong, please try again later. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. There have been gate accidents across the country, including another one on federal government property in 1980 in which a camper in California was impaled by a U.S. Forest Service road closure gate. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking . The trip to the wind-weathered sandstone of Arches National Park was supposed to be a celebration a chance for Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, to show his new wife one of his favorite landmarks. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's. The family of a Ugandan young girl child activist, Esther Nakajjigo who died in the United States of America (USA) have asked government to help them repatriate her body, to be accorded a decent burial. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced . The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife was killed on June 13, 2020, in Arches National Park. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a Denver woman has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim against Arches National Park after she was killed there over the summer. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The sum they are seeking has not been disclosed, however a previous claim filed by the family against the National Park Service which is the step before a lawsuit can be filed asked for more than $A351 million. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. The smaller projection takes into account only the averages of a statistical black woman, she said; while the higher projections factor in that Nakajjigo was a real, extraordinary person. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. "For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey," read the initial claim from Nakajjigo's husband and family. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Nakajjigo's family sued the government for the largest federal award ever asked for in both state and national history, according to plaintiffs' attorney Randi McGinn, seeking $140 million in damages. Esther Nakajjigo was a Ugandan human rights activist and newlywed wife when the 25-year-old was killed at Arches National Park in 2020, decapitated by an unsecured gate that is now at the center of a wrongful death trial. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigos friends, family and beloved community. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times Courtesy of. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. The women's rights activist from Uganda was 25 when, during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020, she was beheaded by a metal gate that blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of the car she was riding in. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a . During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. Instead of planning their future together, Michaud is now processing the trauma and grief of Nakajjigos gruesome death and hoping the lawsuit his attorney plans to file will save other families from experiencing what he did. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo . Ms Chang described the part of the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo as being like a metal spear or a lance and hit the car in literally a split second. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. The familys lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to Covid-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didnt secure the gate in place, which in effect turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. IE 11 is not supported. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. The claim alleged that had park employees used an $8 padlock to secure the gate from moving in the breeze, it could have avoided the victim being "needlessly decapitated.". US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. In pink tops and white pants, women celebrate free period products becoming available in Utahs state buildings, Proposal to boost Utah bar licenses gets smaller with another round of cuts by lawmakers, Moab, Park City cry foul as Utah lawmakers target rules for vacation homes. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around,. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, pose at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. Because neither the U.S. nor Nakajjigos family disputed the facts of the case, the civil suit focused largely on the amount of damages merited. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. At age 17, she used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, which provided free reproductive health services to young women and girls. When she was 17, she donated her university tuition money to start a private, nonprofit community health center that she named the Princess Diana Health Centre. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. "You bear no responsibility. in the two-plus years since his wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, was hit and killed by an unsecured gate while the couple was leaving Arches National Park. She later created a pair of reality television shows designed to empower women. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. When he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw his beheaded wife. "We respect the judges decision and hope this award will help her loved ones as they continue to heal for this tragedy," added the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. They had wanted three children. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didnt have a Bachelors degree. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. Her husband, Michaud, is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Nakajjigo was killed instantly. The family of a human rights activist killed in a freak accident at Utah's Arches State Park won $10.5 million in damages from the U.S. government. At age 17, Nakajjigo. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. Attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos parents asked for $140 million in damages, while the government said an appropriate award would be roughly $3.5 million. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. He spoke, too, about the difficulty of sending his wife's body to Uganda in a cardboard box; how only her hands, one of them broken, were visible at her funeral; and how he moved to a new apartment after the accident, unable to bear the reminders of the life he'd shared with Nakajjigo. By age 25, when she died, she had accomplished more than most people do in an entire lifetime and had much more to do with her life, court documents state. Nakajjigo had been celebrated for using money earmarked for her college tuition to instead open a nonprofit community health center in Uganda at age 17. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. IE 11 is not supported. Disputing the family's claims the victim was on track to become the CEO of a non-profit who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The couple was leaving a park parking lot to get ice cream when a metal traffic control gate swung into the road, piercing the passenger side of the couples rental car and severing Nakajjigos head. The family of a womens rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. Picture: Handout The family of a women's rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Sign up today. On June 13, 2020, Nakajjigo, who was riding in the passenger seat as her husband drove them out of the park, was suddenly decapitated when the triangular, metal gate swung around and sliced into their rental car. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was driving around the stunning Arches National Park in Utah, US, in 2020 along with her husband Ludovic Michaud when the unthinkable happened. "Because (Nakajjigo) is off the charts, you can't use the charts to evaluate her," McGinn said. The family of a womens rights activist who was killed in a gruesome accident at a national park is suing a US agency over her tragic death. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving around Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Just as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S., Michaud, a video streaming technology solution architect who is originally from France, and Nakajjigo decided they wanted to marry. Ms Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving out of the scenic parks carpark when wind caught the unlatched gate and the metal pole on top sliced through the side of their rental car and hit Ms Nakajjigo in the head and neck, killing her instantly. "The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition," the claim states, as reported by CBS Denver.. $270 MILLION LAWSUIT Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. All rights reserved. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . According to NBC, the claim was served Oct. 22, and alleges that if park employees had properly installed the gate to not swing into oncoming traffic or placed an $8 padlock on the gate to secure it from moving in the breeze, the world would not have lost a young woman influencer destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey.. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together, he said. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. The trial gave me and Essies family members an opportunity to tell Essies beautiful story, and it was so important to me to have the chance to stand up and speak for this amazing woman.. Opening arguments began Monday in Salt Lake City in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 25-year-old women's rights activist from Uganda who was killed by a wind-blown gate during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020.
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