Something went wrong, please try again later. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Esther Nakajjigo was driving with her newlywed husband on their honeymoon in Arches when an open road gate was swung by strong winds into their rental car. "I'll respond as soon as I'm able," Jenkins said. The federal trial began Monday in Utah, where the husband and family of Nakajjigo are seeking $140 million in damages from the U.S. government, arguing in a complaint that the national park was negligent and failed to properly maintain the gate. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. Here's what lawmakers have directed schools to do, Can't take statins? You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. "Because (Nakajjigo) is off the charts, you can't use the charts to evaluate her," McGinn said. She rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare, and had successfully raised funds to build health care facilities in her hometown. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. 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. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigos friends, family and beloved community. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement . . The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain . Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Ugandas capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. Donate to the newsroom now. They had wanted three children. As recreation areas in eastern Utah reopened that summer, Michaud was excited to take his new wife to Arches National Park, and the two drove there in June. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. The wind whipped a metal. Berndt also said her team can take into account only Nakajjigo's education and earning history at the time of her death, exclusive from the money she raised for charitable organizations. 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. FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Later, his chin trembled as Nelson delivered the government's apology. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM 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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. According to a court filing, the National Park Service and Arches National Park created a lethal and undetectable danger with the gate, which turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.. It's really a full-time job," he said. Nakajjigo donated her own college fund to start a hospital, Berndt said; she raised money for charities and never took a salary. minutes. "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. 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. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. It 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.. Nakajjigo was. 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. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Ms Nakajjigos husband said his wifes death was the worst thing I hope I will ever see. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. But when she met Michaud in June 2019 in Aurora, Colorado, through a dating app, he just saw her as a smart person who loved to laugh. Outside's long reads email newsletter features our strongest writing, most ambitious reporting, and award-winning storytelling about the outdoors. Esther Nakajjigo was born in poverty in Kampala, Uganda, and rose to become a celebrated human rights activist through her work focusing on preventing teen pregnancy. 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.. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. 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 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. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. 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. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. McGinn argued that the smaller projections were based on categories of evaluation not allowed for under Utah law. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. They stipulate, however, that the plaintiffs should be awarded $22,508 for Nakajjigo's funeral expenses and $5,000 for Michaud's therapy expenses. 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. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . Nakajjigo received numerous international accolades and awards and had come to the United States to further her education, participating in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, where she was the recipient of a Luff Peace Fellowship. The family had initially sought a total of $270 million in damages, before lowering the amount to $140 -- while the government only wanted to pay $3.5 million. The lawsuit was filed about a year after Nakajjigo was killed in June 2020, when wind apparently caused the unsecured, metal gate on the parks main road to swing around and strike her and her husbands car, decapitating her. 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.. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. Additionally, Berndt said the plaintiffs can only speculate on what Nakajjigo might have done had she lived, and the court can't ignore that "in favor of dreams and potential.". The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a . / CBS Colorado. IE 11 is not supported. 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 . She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. The gate narrowly avoided Michaud, who was left covered head to toe in his wife's blood. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. ", In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her head off, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. The family of a woman beheaded by a metal gate in front of her husband at a national park has launched a lawsuit for $140million (115m). IE 11 is not supported. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Estimated read time: 5-6 During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. Yet park employees could have done a lot, the claim alleges, including taking note during inspections of the gate that it posed a danger and putting an inexpensive padlock on it. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. 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. 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. NBC wrote that Nakajjigo had come to the United States to further her education, participating in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colo., where she was the recipient of a Luff Peace Fellowship., Michaud, originally of France, was uninjured in the accident, but, according to NBCs report, has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder., Donate to the newsroom now. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". 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. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Esther Nakajjigo lost her life when she was decapitated at an entrance to Arches National Park in Utah back in June. 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. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. 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 . 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 and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. 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. At age 17, 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 . 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. 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. All rights reserved. Michaud and his in-laws are asking a federal judge for $140 million. Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! 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. The French national said he and his wife, who had only been married for three months and lived in Denver, Colorado, had been on a hike and had lunch before driving out of the park. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. She met Ludovic Michaud in Boulder, Colorado, when she went there for a leadership accelerator program in 2019, and the two of them married in March 2020. 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. As the couple was leaving the park, gusts of wind swung the gate around rapidly, enough to slice through the passenger side door of the couples car, decapitating Nakajjigo as her husband sat feet away in the drivers seat. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. The family are arguing that the US Park Service was negligent and did not properly maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to their loved one's death. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. Ms Nakajjigo met Mr Michaud after she relocated to the US, where she was awarded the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Trial begins in civil suit filed for accidental beheading death at Arches, National Park Service faces $270M wrongful death claim for death at Arches, 6 people arrested following drive-by shooting in Iron County, Man struck, killed by FrontRunner in Clearfield, Legislative wrap: Under-the-radar bills you may have missed on the last day of the session, Northern Utah man faces 30 felonies in child pornography case, 15-year-old boy dies after being found in crashed car with gunshot wounds, Pennsylvania unseals more court document details in Idaho killings, Provo River diverted as restoration project reaches 'major milestone', 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, Do not 'push a slower friend down' if you encounter a bear, National Park Service warns, CDC issues advisory after confirmed measles case in Kentucky, Police say man killed by Farmington officers had gun; victim's mom filed suit over other traffic stop, 27% of Utah students are chronically absent. 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. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it, she told Fox 13. Fox13 reports the metal. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda, Randi McGinn, the familys attorney said in a statement. 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 United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . Burglar freezes at top of ladder after being caught stealing from attic during raid, 'I DIDN'T BREAK THE LAW' Matt Hancock tells lawyers he wants immunity on care home deaths during Covid pandemic, Interactive map shows exactly where snow could fall in UK as mercury nosedives to -7C, Doctor tells Harry he believes Prince has Attention Deficit Disorder in live Q&A, Kate Garraway shares Derek's final words as he believed he was about to die, Spencer Matthews 'furious' after Disney delays Everest doc as it shows dead bodies, Prince Harry insists he is 'NOT victim' and has never looked for sympathy in livestream Q&A with controversial 'toxic trauma' doctor, Cyclist pavement killer risks losing home as neighbours break silence, DIY SOS star Nick Knowles fires back as he's FAT SHAMED by 83 year old mum, Saturday Night Takeaway fans complain minutes into show at Ant and Dec's 'suspicious' habit, Cher, 76, shares candid update on relationship with 37-year-old boyfriend, Moment sonic boom 'like a gas explosion' shakes homes as RAF Typhoon aircraft scrambled, Inside Alison King's 50th birthday party as Corrie co-stars glam up to celebrate, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. 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. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. 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. We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Ugandan newlywed Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was visiting Arches National Park in Utah in June 2020 when she was struck and killed by a metal pole attached to a traffic control gate. Michaud, Nakajjigo's husband, spoke about the intense trauma he's endured since his wife's death, including sleeplessness, nightmares and suicidal ideation. 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. The claim describes Nakajjigos final moments in graphic detail and says the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter.. 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. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. 45 Join Insider . The familys lawyer Deborah Chang said the gate struck the car so suddenly and was so well blended into the surrounding landscape the honeymooning couple had no chance of avoiding it. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didnt have a Bachelors degree. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, pose at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife was killed on June 13, 2020, in Arches National Park. 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. The ruling was. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 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. 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. According to Deborah Chang, the Los Angeles-based trial attorney representing Michaud, there was nothing he could have done to swerve out of the way of the gate that killed his wife and narrowly missed him. 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 National parks begin to reopen across the country. Judge Bruce Jenkins said he wants to "examine with care" all the information presented during the weeklong trial. "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 A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. 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. "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. SALT LAKE CITY 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.

Scott Richmond Obituary, Frank Decicco Cause Of Death, Thredup Ambassador Program, Articles E