This week, a trial began for the wrongful death of a woman who was decapitated by a swinging gate at Arches National Park. KUTV 2News reports that the plaintiffs are suing the U.S. government for more than $140 million for the wrongful death of Esther Nakajjigo.
In June 2020, Ludovic Michaud and his spouse, Esther Nakajjigo, were traveling around Arches to celebrate their recent marriage. Heavy winds that day caused a gate with a stop sign, which was unlocked to ram into their car. Esther was decapitated, and while Ludovic survived, he has been left with PTSD.
United State attorneys representing Arches agree that the defense should shoulder the blame, but they think it should be for no less than $3.5 million. A ruling from the federal judge could come in the next couple of weeks.
Once you realize who the victim of the attack is, the story becomes more devastating. Esther Nakajjigo was a human rights activist and actress from Uganda. She was known around the world for her efforts to bring equality to African countries, as she became Uganda’s Ambassador for Women and Girls. At seventeen, she used the money that was saved for her college tuition to create a community health center for women and children in her home country.
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Randi McGinn, who is the attorney for the prosecution, believed that she would have gone on to become a CEO of a non-profit. This means that she would have earned somewhere in the range of hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars each year. She is survived by her spouse, mother, and brother, who aim to continue growing her legacy in Uganda.
This 2021 video from FOX 13 Utah dives into the tragic story. It’s worth a watch if you want to dive deeper into this depressing tale.