The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the 23-year-old Indian student killed in a ‘controversial’ US police crash in 2023 just suffered a second fatal blow. Jaahnavi’s father, Kandula Srikanth, passed away following a heart attack on February 10 2026, a mere 48 hours before the announcement of a $29 million settlement deal between the family and the City of Seattle.
Jaahnavi’s life came to an end on January 23, 2023, when she was knocked down by a speeding Seattle police vehicle while she was crossing the street. The officer involved was responding to an emergency call at that time.
A masters student in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, Jaahnavi was returning from campus on foot when she was run over by the police car.
Jaahanvi’s father (Kandula Srikanth) was a retired Indian police constable who died in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district, leaving the family to mourn another crucial member of the family while grappling with the conclusion of a high-profile international legal battle.
In 2024, the family had filed a $110 million wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the city and former officer Kevin Dave. While the $29 million agreement marks one of the largest settlements of its kind, Jaahnavi’s mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, insists that money cannot buy justice.
“The settlement may be considered closure for some, but the irresponsible officer has not been punished. What about the officer who put a price on my daughter?” Lakshmi (Jaahanvi’s mother told The Indian Express.
Lakshmi’s comments about ‘putting a price on her daughter’ refers to comments made by the police officer who caused Jaahanvi’s death post the incident.
In a live bodycam recording of the incident recovered by US authorities during investigation, the police officer responsible for Jaahanvi’s Daniel Auderer was heard laughing about the incident, he even remarked that Jaahnavi’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.”
119 Kmph in a 40 Kmph Zone: What did investigation into Jaahnavi’s death reveal
The incident dates back to January 23, 2023. Investigations revealed that officer Kevin Dave was driving at 119 kmph in a 40 kmph zone while responding to an overdose call.
Though his emergency lights were on, reports indicated he was only “chirping” his siren rather than running it continuously. While Dave was fired in early 2025 for “dangerous driving,” he avoided felony charges, receiving only a $5,000 fine for negligent driving.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Thursday, Jaahnavi’s mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, said, “The settlement may be considered as closure for us by some people, but the irresponsible police officer who caused the accident that took our daughter away from us forever has not been punished. What about the other officer who put a price on my daughter and joked about her death?”
Whatever happened to Daniel Auderer
Aauderer was fired from the US police force after his remarks on the ‘value of Jaahanvi’s’ life had sparked a global outcry with Indian diplomats demanding a formal investigation. Following his termination, Aauderer sued the city of Seattle for wrongful termination. He said his remarks were intended to criticize how attorneys were likely to respond to the death.
In January 2025, The Seattle Times quoted Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr saying that she had fired Dave from the city’s police department. “I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible,” Rahr said in an email to employees, per the report.
“However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department.”
“Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community,” Rahr concluded.