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They had wanted three children. Ms Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving out of the scenic parks carpark when wind caught the unlatched gate and the metal pole on top sliced through the side of their rental car and hit Ms Nakajjigo in the head and neck, killing her instantly. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. Sign up today. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. 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 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.. 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. I found her really interesting. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Woman decapitated by metal gate in front of her horrified husband in 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. 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. 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. All rights reserved. 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. Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. 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. 45 Join Insider . At age 17, Nakajjigo was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women, according to the claim. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" What if he hadn't suggested the trip. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. Family of Newlywed and Activist Decapitated at Utah's Arches National John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. 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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. 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. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 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. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. 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. 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. 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. 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. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Arches National Park Being Sued For $270M After Gate Decapitated Guest Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. IE 11 is not supported. 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 and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." 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. . FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. 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. 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. 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. Instead, "the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter." 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.. Denver man files suit after wife's death at National Park - KMGH 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. 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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didnt have a Bachelors degree. She later created a pair of reality television shows designed to empower women. 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. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times 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. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M - CBS News 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 claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. At other points, he dabbed at his eyes; he lived like a student before meeting Nakajjigo, he said, but she turned their apartment into a home. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. 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. 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. Lindsay Whitehurst/AP 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. Esther Nakajjigo beheaded by gate at Utah's Arches National Park | news (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. 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.