Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. No services are scheduled at this time. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. 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. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH: More than 2 years after a woman was killed in a Utah national park, her husband and her family are suing the US government for $140 million in damages. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. The family's lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to COVID-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didn't 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.". Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Utah's Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. Esther Nakajjigo Of Denver Decapitated By Gate :Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park [VIDEO] Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward': Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma #EDD #sheiswe pic.twitter.com/VUD1jd7U7H, Esther Nakajjigo (@nakajjigo) June 7, 2018. Her passions included lowering teen pregnancy, as well as creating two reality television shows that empowered women, the outlet reported. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. McGinn said if her life hadn't been cut short that Nakajjigo's trajectory suggested she would have gone on to become a nonprofit CEO who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Michaud says he wants to keep her legacy going, but he also wants the gates at National Parks and forests across the U.S. to be safe for visitors. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. The young activist participated in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado as a Luff Peace Fellow, Moab Sun News said. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Esther Nakajjigo Of Denver Decapitated By Gate :Family Files $270M 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 By SAM METZ Associated Press January 31, 2023, 11:37 AM 2:19 National headlines from ABC News Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. Woman decapitated by metal gate in front of her horrified husband in How do you measure someone like her? 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. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigo's family said they were seeking $140 million in damages from the government. Nakajjigo was not sure where she wanted to work whether it was in the U.S., back in Uganda or elsewhere but Michaud was willing to follow her wherever she could continue to make the most impact. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didn't have a Bachelor's degree. 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. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. I really wanted to show her Arches, he said, because I know all the parks around Moab It's one of my favorite places in the U.S., if not my favorite place.. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. Esther Nakajjigo was exiting the park June 13 when the sharp end of a freely swinging gate pierced her car, killing Nakajjigo and narrowly missing her husband. Esther Nakajjigo Obituary - Denver, CO - Dignity Memorial / CBS Colorado. Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. 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. I didnt know who she was at first, the 26-year-old expressed to NBC News. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Family of woman, 25, decapitated by metal gate at Utah Park sue The two married in March in a courthouse ceremony and had plans to have a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again, the outlet reported. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. 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. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigo's mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. Family of Woman Killed at Arches National Park Awarded $10.5M The family of Ugandan philanthropist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a traffic gate in front of her husband in Arches National Park in Utah, has been awarded $10.5m. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Esther was born April 16, 1995. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Post reported. A spokeswoman said the single vehicle accident happened June 13 on the entrance road of Arches National Park, near the Visitor's Center, and that the entrance was shut down for several hours. But rather a sex object, a cola to quench sexual thirst of sex-hungry men who have power and control in the refugee settlements. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Family of Ugandan activist who was decapitated at UT national park gets A family is getting $10 million in the wrongful death of Ugandan human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a swinging metal gate in Arches National Park, Utah. There is a lot of small things I miss.. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. According to Moab Sun News, the Ugandan government on April 19 forbade the repatriation of the remains of Ugandans who pass away abroad over fears of the coronavirus. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. Activist Esther Nakajjigo dies in the U.S - YouTube 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. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. I found her really interesting. On a windy spring day in 2020, Ludovic Michaud and his newlywed wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who was an actress and singer from Uganda, were traveling through Arches National Park when Nakajjigo was decapitated by a metal . Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Nakajjigo accomplished more by age 25 than most people do in a lifetime. The gate was owned by the United States government and anchored on government property., READ NEXT: Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide, Esther Nakajjigo: Uganda Activist Decapitated in Utah National Park, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. Please enter valid email address to continue. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim said. / CBS/AP. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. 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. 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. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate at Receive a notification when services are updated. Ludovic said he knows the suit won't bring his beloved wife back, but he wants to make sure the same type of tragic accident doesn't happen to anyone else. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife . Download the app. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. U.S. Govt. Only Wants to Pay $3.5 Million to Family of Woman On Monday, a federal judge in Utah . He didnt know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards. She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. The plaintiffs contend multiple federal policies require such gates to be secured, but that the gate near the visitors center at Arches was unlatched for two weeks before it struck Nakajjigo. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020, after wind caught a traffic control gate and blew it into the rented Chevy Malibu driven by her husband, Ludo Michaud. Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off Credit: Handout. They said claims by the family's lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a nonprofit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. "Woman decapitated at Arches National Park, $270 million wrongful death Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. FOX 13 Investigates: Grisly decapitation of ambassador at Arches - KSTU At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. "Emergency response personnel from the National Park Service, Grand County Sheriffs Office, Grand County EMS, Moab City Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol and Moab Valley Fire Department responded to the scene to provide assistance. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Michaud and his in-laws previously filed a claim with the National Park Service a step toward filing the lawsuit asking for $270 million. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Activist, 25, hailed as 'future Oprah or Princess Diana' is Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. He filed his claim October 22. 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, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. In other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. The wind whipped a metal. Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud realized his wife had been killed, when he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw she was dead.
Characters Like Frankenstein,
Gerz West Germany,
Strength As How Someone Sees You,
Articles E