Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. "For the sake of a padlock and chain, that you have in your garage that is all that would have made a difference in his world," Chang said. 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. Im still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning., What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine, said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. No services are scheduled at this time. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los 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 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. 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. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. "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. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. She was always willing to help, he said. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. How do you measure someone like her? The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. 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. 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 . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. 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. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Powered by, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News, Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide. 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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo Obituary - Denver, CO - Dignity Memorial November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM Other reasons for that sum is who Nakajjigo was and what she. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Trial begins in civil suit filed for accidental beheading death at Utah She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. "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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. She served as an ambassador for women and girls in her native Uganda, and created a reality TV show to combat early pregnancy and forced marriage. 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. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. 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. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. 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. Their economic expert will testify that her death represents a. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Twitter FOX 13 Investigates: Grisly decapitation of ambassador at Arches - KSTU Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places, Michaud said. She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. 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. The trip to the wind-weathered sandstone of Arches National Park was supposed to be a celebration a chance for Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, to show his new wife one of his favorite landmarks. It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, its going to happen again, he said. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Trial begins over death of Ugandan activist who was decapitated by a Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on a windy summer day in 2020 when a piece of a metal gate from Utah's Arches National Park broke through the passenger door and decapitated her - and now her husband. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. I found her really interesting. Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. 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 . National parks begin to reopen across the country. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Of the accidents aftermath, Michaud told FOX 13: I saw the worst thing I hope I will ever see.. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. 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. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. 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. 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. 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. Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. 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 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The family Essie Nakajjigo, an activist who died in Arches National Park in 2020, is preparing to head to trial for a wrongful death lawsuit. 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 amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. According to NBC News, Nakajjigo was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. He didnt know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. 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. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. 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.. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Family of woman killed by gate at Arches National Park awarded $10.2M Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. "Woman decapitated at Arches National Park, $270 million wrongful death The Associated Press contributed to this report. Here's how. 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. 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. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. 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. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigo's mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. 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. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. The same year, Nakajjigo was. 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. "I'm trying to be a star, to be able to lighten the lives of the people who feel it's dark," she said. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. FOX 13 Investigates: Family sues over death of woman killed in Arches Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. 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. 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. Initiative by the late @nakajjigo | https://t.co/hMEUS3a5uj pic.twitter.com/OBhxkiPqPZ, Urban Television (@UrbanTVUganda) October 25, 2020. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. A federal judge this week awarded $10.5 million to the family of a Denver woman. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. $140M trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. 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. 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 ruling was. #EDD #sheiswe pic.twitter.com/VUD1jd7U7H, Esther Nakajjigo (@nakajjigo) June 7, 2018. Esther Nakajjigo is a former Uganda activist who was decapitated this summer at the Utah Arches National Park. 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. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he 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. Trial begins for Ugandan death in Arches National Park The horror of Nakajjigo's death is one reason Michaud has filed a claim with the National Park Service seeking $270 million. 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. 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. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. Activist Esther Nakajjigo dies in the U.S - YouTube The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. She said there was nothing that visually set them apart. Esther Nakajjigo: Trial begins for woman beheaded by metal gate in Utah 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. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. 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. In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate at Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. Denver7 reached out to he National Park Service to ask about the accident. But rather a sex object, a cola to quench sexual thirst of sex-hungry men who have power and control in the refugee settlements. She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. Esther Nakajjigo: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. $10.5 million awarded to family of Denver woman killed at Arches 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. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Add a Memory Liability is the exception rather than the rule, Kozlowski said. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. "Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. The large monetary damages being sought on behalf of Michaud and Nakajjigos parents are a reflection of the suffering they have gone through plus the loss of Nakajjigos future income and fundraising abilities, Chang said. "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Utah's Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 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. Ugandan activist, 25, decapitated by gate in Utah's Arches National Download the app. 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. 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 the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to Nakajjigo's death. Esther Nakajjigo. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. Attorney: 'For want of an $8 padlock, woman lost life'. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. 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. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. The wrongful death claim was served on October 22 and seeks more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service, the outlet reported. Family of Esther Nakajjigo awarded over $10 million from U.S Heading out the door? She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards.