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• Nikki Catsouras died in a car accident on the afternoon of October 31, 2006, while joyriding in her father's Porsche. A California Highway Patrol (CHP) employee leaked images of the 18-year-old Catsouras taken by CHP officers at the crash scene, leading Catsouras' parents to file a $20 million lawsuit against the CHP. The suit was dismissed in March 2008.OCRegister: Judge Dismisses Suit Over CHP Photo Leak (March 21, 2008)

  Newsweek's May 4th newsstand copy chronicles the tragic story of the Catsouras family, since the death of their 18-year-old daughter, Nikki. The family is awaiting judgment from the appellate court for the leak of the gruesome photos. Newsweek: A Tragedy That Won't Fade Away (April 25, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Name: Nicole "Nikki" Catsouras
  2. Birth date: March 4, 1988OCRegister: Nikki Catsouras Obituary (November 4, 2006)
  3. Date of death: October 31, 2006
  4. Crash happened near Lake Forest, California
  5. Teen was driving her father's Porsche at over 100 miles per hour when she crashedABC News: Family's Nightmare: Daughter's Accident Photos Go Viral (July 1, 2008)
  6. Car hit a toll booth at full speedABC News: Family's Nightmare: Daughter's Accident Photos Go Viral (July 1, 2008)
  7. Catsouras was decapitated in the accidentYouTube Video: ABC 20/20: Nikki Catsouras, Free Speech vs Ethics/Morals (Time: 5:57)
  8. At one time over 1,600 sites linked to Catsouras' graphic death photosABC News: Family's Nightmare: Daughter's Accident Photos Go Viral (July 1, 2008)
  9. California Highway Patrol said it had taken "appropriate action" against employee who leaked the photosOCRegister: Employee Leaked Photos, CHP says (February 13, 2007)
  10. Some of the photos were e-mailed to Catsouras' family membersYouTube Video: ABC 20/20: Nikki Catsouras, Free Speech vs Ethics/Morals (Time: 5:57)
  11. Family is appealing the 2008 dismissal of their $20 million lawsuit against the California Highway PatrolOCRegister: Judge Dismisses Suit Over CHP Photo Leak (March 21, 2008)
  12. A May 4, 2009, newsstand copy of Newsweek chronicles Catsouras family since the death of NikkiOCRegister: Story of graphic crash photos... (April 29, 2009)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Nikki Catsouras Crash Photos

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