Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. Trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. 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. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. He was "instantly covered with blood," the complaint says. Newlywed woman decapitated by car park entrance gate blown open in high A woman who had married her husband only three months ago has died after a horror crash saw a car park gate swing through the couple's car and cut off her head. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. What if they had gone on a different day, or left at a different time? "For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey," read the initial claim from Nakajjigo's husband and family. 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 a statement to CBS News on Monday. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). When she was 17, she donated her university tuition money to start a private, nonprofit community health center that she named the Princess Diana Health Centre. Accident claims Ugandan activist Nakajjigo in US - New Vision She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. 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. At age 17, Nakajjigo. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. "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, as reported by CBS Denver.. $270 MILLION LAWSUIT Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. 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. "Because (Nakajjigo) is off the charts, you can't use the charts to evaluate her," McGinn said. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. Testimony ends in trial of Ugandan woman decapitated in Arches National Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Nakajjigo was. 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. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Ugandas capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Activist Esther Nakajjigo's family beg Ugandan government to return 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. All rights reserved. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax Burglar freezes at top of ladder after being caught stealing from attic during raid, 'I DIDN'T BREAK THE LAW' Matt Hancock tells lawyers he wants immunity on care home deaths during Covid pandemic, Interactive map shows exactly where snow could fall in UK as mercury nosedives to -7C, Doctor tells Harry he believes Prince has Attention Deficit Disorder in live Q&A, Kate Garraway shares Derek's final words as he believed he was about to die, Spencer Matthews 'furious' after Disney delays Everest doc as it shows dead bodies, Prince Harry insists he is 'NOT victim' and has never looked for sympathy in livestream Q&A with controversial 'toxic trauma' doctor, Cyclist pavement killer risks losing home as neighbours break silence, DIY SOS star Nick Knowles fires back as he's FAT SHAMED by 83 year old mum, Saturday Night Takeaway fans complain minutes into show at Ant and Dec's 'suspicious' habit, Cher, 76, shares candid update on relationship with 37-year-old boyfriend, Moment sonic boom 'like a gas explosion' shakes homes as RAF Typhoon aircraft scrambled, Inside Alison King's 50th birthday party as Corrie co-stars glam up to celebrate, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. minutes. 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. Estimated read time: 5-6 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. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. 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. 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. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. 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. ", 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, 25, was driving around the stunning Arches National Park in Utah, US, in 2020 along with her husband Ludovic Michaud when the unthinkable happened. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced . Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M - CBS News 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.. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. deductible, Report a missed paper by [email protected] calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or [email protected]. (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. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . 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 report by NBC News, following a June accident at Arches National Park near Moab. 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. 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. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. SALT . Nelson, the governments attorney, has said an appropriate award would be $3.5million (2.9m). First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death Woman decapitated by metal gate in front of her horrified husband in Credit: AP FILE - Delicate. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the. Family of Ugandan activist who was decapitated at UT national park gets The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. 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 . Family of Ugandan Awarded $10.5M for Utah Park Death I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death 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. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Michaud was the last plaintiff witness in the civil trial over the June 13, 2020, death of his wife, Esther 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.. Family of Newlywed and Activist Decapitated at Utah's Arches National 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. 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.