The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. 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. 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. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. She founded the Princess Diana Health Center, Moab Sun News continued. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. Initiative by the late @nakajjigo | https://t.co/hMEUS3a5uj pic.twitter.com/OBhxkiPqPZ, Urban Television (@UrbanTVUganda) October 25, 2020. "For how majestic these parks are, it's kind of shocking how rudimentary these gates are," she said. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. 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. In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. The ruling was. 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. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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.. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. This photo was taken 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.. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. 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. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. She was always willing to help, he said. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. 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 wind whipped a metal. Michaud, who hails from France, told the station during his first interview since his wifes death that he just saw her as a smart person who loved to laugh.. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. Denver7 reached out to he National Park Service to ask about the accident. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. The family of Esther Nakajjigo was awarded over $10 million from the U.S. government in a wrongful death case stemming from a tragic accident in 2020. #EDD #sheiswe pic.twitter.com/VUD1jd7U7H, Esther Nakajjigo (@nakajjigo) June 7, 2018. Nakajjigos family and friends in Uganda started a petition to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of Health in the country to make an exception for the young activist, the newspaper continued. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. 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. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. 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. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. 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. 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. Heres what you need to know about Esther Nakajjigo: Saving Innocence Challenge is a high school reality TV show of urban school girls empowering their rural counterparts to prevail over teenage pregnancy and keep in school. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times 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 The suit was filed last week in federal court in Denver by the widower and parents of Nakajjigo. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. If you have a story idea or tip for the FOX 13 Investigative unit, please share it with us below: Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. She said there was nothing that visually set them apart. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Let others know about your loved one's death. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. 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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. 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. Nakajjigo's younger brother John, who traveled from Uganda to the U.S. to be at the trial, told KUTV that life without his sister has been extremely tough, but he is grateful for the opportunity to be at the trial and also meet Nakajjigo's husband for the first time. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 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 couple's car, decapitating Nakajjigo as her husband sat feet away in the driver's seat. In other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. Download the app . Here's how. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. 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. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. SALT LAKE CITY A judge awarded $10.2 million to the family and spouse of Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, who was killed by an unsecured gate at Arches National Park in 2020.. Nakajjigo, 25, a women's rights activist from Uganda, was killed when driving in Arches National Park with Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud during a camping trip on June 13, 2020. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. 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 family's attorney said in a statement. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Denver Post reported. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. 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 inspired around the globe. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. Esther Nakajjigo is a former Uganda activist who was decapitated this summer at the Utah Arches National Park. 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. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Because neither the U.S. nor Nakajjigo's family disputed the facts of the case, the civil suit focused largely on the amount of damages merited. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. 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. 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. 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. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. The suit was filed last . But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. 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, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated his new 25-year-old wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo. "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. IE 11 is not supported. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. 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. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. It's known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. "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. Other reasons for that sum is who Nakajjigo was and what she. How do you measure someone like her? Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos 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. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. I found her really interesting. / CBS Colorado. Opening statements previewed how the trial will hinge less on varying accounts of the accident and instead focus on Nakajiigo's biography and earning potential, which is used to calculate a portion of the damages. One also took place on federal government property in the 80s, the outlet continued, when a U.S. Forest Service road closure gate impaled a California camper. A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. Saving Innocence, one of the shows, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school, NBC News said. Chang filed the paperwork notifying the National Park Service that a lawsuit will be filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, seeking damages for Ludovic, and for Nakajjigo's mother and father. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. Heading out the door? At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. 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. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. "I turned my head and saw what I wish I didn't see.". 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. The couple, who lived together in Denver, Colorado, were exiting the park on June 13 to get ice cream when a metal gate swung loose and pierced their car, the newspaper continued. A federal judge this week awarded $10.5 million to the family of a Denver woman. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim said. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. Wilson Jaga, head of communications for the Office of Ugandas Ambassador for Women and Girls, advocated for her return in a statement obtained by the outlet, writing: We have also petitioned the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda requesting that H. E. Esther Nakajjigos short lived but very instrumental life be celebrated and Essie accorded a State Funeral as a symbol of recognition of small interventions made by young people to make their country a great nation. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Her passions included lowering teen pregnancy, as well as creating two reality television shows that empowered women, the outlet 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. It argues that park employees only needed to install the gate with an $8 padlock to prevent it from killing a young woman influencer destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey, NBC News said. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Illinois highway pile-up causes multiple deaths, police say, Trump motion to declare mistrial in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit denied, Transgender Montana lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues over censure, Debt ceiling standoff heats up over veterans' programs, U.S. tracking high-altitude balloon first spotted off Hawaii, Biden administration ending vaccine mandate for federal workers, travelers, The weirdest items passengers leave behind in Ubers. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud. 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. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Uganda's capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. United States attorneys do not dispute that park officials shouldered blame, but argued the amount the family should be awarded is far less and called into questions the ways in which the damages being sought were calculated. will a 4x8 sheet of plywood fit in an equinox, proactiv commercial actors,
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