Tragedy befalls Jaahnavi Kandula's family again, father passes away two days before ₹262 crore settlement from Seattle

A new tragedy has befallen on the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian student who died after being hit by a speeding police vehicle in Seattle, after her father passed away just two days before the announcement of a $29 million (around ₹260 crore) compensation deal.

Her father, Kandula Srikanth, a retired police constable, died of a heart attack on February 10 in Kurnool district of Kerala, a relative of Jaahnavi told PTI.

“His (Srikanth's) last rites were performed on Wednesday in Adoni, as the family grappled with yet another devastating loss,” the relative said on Friday.

The relative dismissed the question about the settlement money, saying that the family was in mourning, and it was not appropriate to speak about it.

What happened to Jaahnavi Kandula?

Jaahnavi Kandula was killed on January 23, 2023, while crossing a street in Seattle. She was struck by a police car driven by Officer Kevin Dave, who was responding to an emergency overdose call.

Investigations revealed that the officer was travelling at 74 mph (119 km/h) at the time of the collision. The impact threw Kandula nearly 100 feet, causing fatal injuries.

Seattle settlement

According to reports, nearly $20 million of the settlement will be paid through the city’s insurance cover.

Commenting on the settlement, city attorney Erika Evans told news agency AP: "Jaahnavi Kandula's death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family."

She added, "Jaahnavi Kandula's life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community."

University honours Kandula

Following her death, Jaahnavi was honoured by Northeastern University, which awarded her a posthumous master’s degree. The institution recognised her academic achievements and the impact she had on the community.

Bodycam video sparks outrage

The case triggered widespread public anger after body camera footage surfaced showing remarks made by another officer, Daniel Auderer, following the crash.

In the video, Auderer was heard laughing as he described the incident, saying, "Uh, I think she went up on the hood, hit the windshield, and then when he hit the brakes, flew off the car…But she is dead."

His laughter, which continued for several seconds, led to strong condemnation from the public and within the police department.

Seattle’s interim police chief, Sue Rahr, addressed the issue in an internal email, calling the harm caused by Auderer’s comments “irreparable”. She said his actions had brought shame to the department.