afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. Estimated read time: 5-6 All rights reserved. Nakajjigo donated her own college fund to start a hospital, Berndt said; she raised money for charities and never took a salary. Lindsay Whitehurst/AP minutes. The U.S. government has admitted responsibility for Nakajjigos death and for the emotional distress inflicted upon her husband, an attorney for the plaintiffs 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. All this building towards the $140million in damages. The wind whipped a metal. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. 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. On Monday, a federal judge ruled Ludovic Michaud, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo, will receive $9.5 million, while Nakajjigo's mother and father were awarded $700,000 and $350,000, respectively, per the Salt Lake Tribune. 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. Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. He smiled at some points as he shared photos and memories of happier times affectionate birthday cards, silly nicknames, meals cooked together, the rose petals Nakajjigo arranged into the shape of a heart with an "I" and a "U" on either side. Monday's closing arguments focused heavily on the differences in testimony made by several economic experts, two of whom projected that Nakajjigo would have earned at least $9 million in her lifetime and the third who estimated Nakajjigo would have made between about $750,000 and $938,000. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. 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 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife was killed on June 13, 2020, in Arches National Park. What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature. 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. 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. 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. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. 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 gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Courtesy of. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. It feels lonely, and thats hard. On June 13, she was needlessly decapitated by a metal gate that swung into the couples car as they were exiting the Arches parking lot on their way to go get ice cream, according to a wrongful death administrative claim exclusively obtained by NBC News. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. According to the claim, Michaud, of Denver, and Nakajjigo, a womens rights proponent from Uganda, were exiting the Arches parking lot on June 13 when a metal gate on the entrance road near the visitors center swung into the couples car, causing Nakajigo to be needlessly decapitated.. 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. 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. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. According to the official statement from Wilson Jaga, the communications head for the office of the Ugandan Women and Girls, Nakajjigo was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park due. 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. Esther Nakajjigo was beheaded after the wind whipped a metal gate round cutting into the passenger side of the car, Esther Nakajjigo with her husband Ludovic Michaud, A picture of the gates that led to the young woman's death. Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated at Arches National Park in Utah after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. She added that the plaintiffs' assumption that Nakajjigo would have taken a salary "far in excess" of most nonprofit CEOs is "simply contrary to everything the court has heard about her," Berndt said. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. 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). 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. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death 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. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. She later created a pair of reality television shows designed to empower women. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. 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. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sign up today. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Courtesy Ludovic Michaud Nakajjigo. She was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls and received an award from the United Nations after she used her university tuition money to start a non-profit community centre that offered free healthcare to girls and women aged 10 to 24. Ms Nakajjigos husband said his wifes death was the worst thing I hope I will ever see. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a . 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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 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. "You bear no responsibility. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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,. 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. 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. Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. Her husband, Michaud, is seeking $240 million in damages from the National Park Service, while Nakajjigo's family is seeking $30 million. 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. Fox13 reports the metal. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigos friends, family and beloved community. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, NBC News reported. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Drenched in his wifes blood, Michaud instinctively jumped out of the slowly moving car after impact, then got back in to put it in park. The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. Michaud, Nakajjigo's husband, spoke about the intense trauma he's endured since his wife's death, including sleeplessness, nightmares and suicidal ideation. 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. 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 The family says under federal park rules, similar gates should be secured, but the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo had been unlatched for weeks, Fox 13 reports. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. 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. All rights reserved. (Julie Jacobson | AP file photo) A Denver man has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, against the National Park Service after a metal gate at Arches National Park collided collided with his car on June 13, killing his wife. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. ", 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Donate to the newsroom now. SALT . Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] 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. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. 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. She was subsequently named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. SALT LAKE CITY The family of human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated in an accident in Arches National Park, has sued the National Park Service. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. A newlywed Denver couple's road trip to Arches National Park in Utah this summer ended in . It's really a full-time job," he said. 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. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, their attorneys said they were seeking $140 million (115m) in damages from the government accounting for Esther's earning potential. 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 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.. 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. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. 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. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. "Because (Nakajjigo) is off the charts, you can't use the charts to evaluate her," McGinn said. 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.. 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. Here's what lawmakers have directed schools to do, Can't take statins? This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the. The lawsuit filed by Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, claims his wife Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated while in the passenger seat of a car exiting Arches National Park. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. "On behalf of the family, we are very appreciative of the judge's attention to detail, the time he spent working on this, and for the value he put on the loss to this family of Essie," added Littlepage. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. 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. 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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. We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. 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. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. 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. 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. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. 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. One of his regrets is not saying, "I love you," one more time. Ludovic Michaud, the husband of late human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, has filed a $270 million wrongful death administrative claim against the National Park Service, according to a. 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. They had wanted three children. 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. 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.. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. . Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. The ruling was. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. "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. 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. The family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. 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. 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. He said he didnt deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgment, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo.