| Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. Loleini Tonga, the mother of two of Henry's three children, was driving the truck along Oakdale Road in December 2009, when the 26-year-old Henry fell out of the bed of the truck. Henry and Pacman were college teammates at West Virginia University. Previous article: Medical examiner releases autopsy report for Chris Henry, But according to the lawsuit, Tonga was aware that Henry "was standing in the truck bed in a position of helpless peril" and that "any sudden movement of the truck would cause [Henry] to be thrown from the truck. By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our. Loleini Tonga, the mother of two of Henry's three children, was driving the truck along Oakdale Road in December 2009, when the 26-year-old Henry fell out of the bed of the truck. The full autopsy and toxicology reports were released by the Mecklenburg County medical examiner's office Tuesday, nearly six months after Henry died when he came out of the back of a pickup truck driven by his fiancee. An in-depth piece profiling Henrys life and death, including the full interview, will be aired onSundays Outside the Lines (9 a.m. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Iowa State women's basketball team nearly erased a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit at Kansas on Wednesday. He was in the back of a moving truck it, would be almost impossible for him to know if someone was calling anyone unless it was Miss Tonga who threatened to call police and she says clearly that it wasnt her. Police say that Henry was rushed to the hospital Dec. 16 after being found on a residential road near Charlotte. The filing also ask that a jury decide in the case. The State Department said in a statement Wednesday night it had approved sales of missiles to be used with the F-16s as well as equipment to support the missiles. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Adopting Henrys sons is something Pacman said had been in the works for a few years. It doesnt matter if the truck was going 10 MPH or 60 MPH jumping out of a moving vehicle is going to hurt and if you have a broken forearm it would be impossible to break your fall. We use cookies. In an interview with the Associated Press just after returning to the locker room for the first time since surgery to fix a fracture, Henry sounded confident he could get through the latest setback. Loleini Tonga, the fiancee of dead Bengals receiver Chris Henry, allegedly has a MySpace page. Pacman signed with the Bengals in May of 2010, just a few months after the death of his good friend. Loleini Tonga tells ESPN that she thinks Henry thought he would land safely and may have been scared because he saw someone calling the police. All rights reserved. On Tonga's MySpace page she identifies herself as "Mrs. C. Henry" and has a picture of her next to a person who appears to be Henry. They have not released the cause of death and the coroner said they are expecting to receive the body later today. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. . Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. DNA leads to arrest over 40 years after woman found dead in cornfield, Hunter who killed, skinned pet dogs says he thought they were coyotes, December 17, 2009 - Chris Henry Dead: NFL Star Thrown From Truck During Dispute with Fiancee Loleini Tonga, Say Cops. Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them WESTWEGO, La. A later 911 caller said he saw an unresponsive man laying on a curvy, residential road about eight miles northwest of downtown Charlotte. Henry's death occurred after falling off a moving truth, following a domestic dispute with his then-fiance, Loleini Tonga, Jones appeared on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast and was visibly emotional when discussing bringing Henry's children into his family. 1/6/2010 4:18 PM PT. "Mrs. C. Henry" is a 25-year-old with ties to Ohio, Louisiana and North Carolina. Loleini Tonga's friend, Lori, talks about Loleini's relationship with Chris Henry in a 2009 interview in Charlotte, N.C. DNA leads to arrest over 40 years after woman found dead in cornfield Henry and Loleini Tonga also have a daughter, Seini. His fianc, Loleini Tonga, told ESPN Henry jumped from the back of the truck while the two were arguing. The estate claims it is also entitled to recover medical, funeral and burial expenses that were incurred. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The football player credited his success in. I want you to watch the video and then I will give you my thoughts: Henry, 26, was killed after he fell out of a pickup truck bed being driven by his fiance Loleini Tonga during what police described as a domestic dispute. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Once again this isnt a logical situation it is quite possible that Miss Tonga description of events while suspect could be totally true. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Loleini Tonga was credited by Henry for turning his career around. Henry passed away Thursday from injuries he sustained after he fell from the back of a moving truck. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Chris Henry, who grew up in nearby Belle Chasse, died Thursday after falling out of the back of a pickup truck driven by Tonga. Loleini Tonga's friend, Lori, talks about Loleini's relationship with Chris Henry in a 2009 interview in Charlotte, N.C. Watch Next VIDEO: Cincinnati Bengals snap skid to Browns win, 23-10 Accident reconstruction was unable to determine whether or not Henry jumped or fell from the truck. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Henry is survived by three children and girlfriend Loleini Tonga. North Carolina police have released the Chris Henry 911 calls, and there's a notable absence: there's not one call from Henry's fiance Loleini Tonga. Copyright 2021 WXIX. Henry was the Cincinnati Bengals receiver who died after falling out of the bed of a pickup truck driven by Tonga on Dec. 16, during what police say was a domestic dispute. } } Hunter who killed, skinned pet dogs says he thought they were coyotes (Listen to the 911 call made by a woman following the truck just before the accident HERE. A neighbor said Wednesday that the Tonga family owns the home where police say the incident began. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! After hearing about Caleb Grill's mental-health struggles, the remainder of ISU's basketball season doesn't seem so important anymore. ", The suit claims that Henry's actions were "directly and proximately" caused by Tonga's "negligence, gross negligence, and willful and wanton conduct. 4 as they did when they took Zeke. This is something I believe because Henry was turning his life around and had a lot to live for, but this contradicts her previous statements that Henry jumped out of the vehicle. We all family. pic.twitter.com/nywSiFdGhv. "Everyone know me. CHARLOTTE,NC (CBS/AP) After a history of troubles with the law, in recent days NFL star Chris Henry seemed to be coming back from the personal and professional brink. Wopular is an Please include the title when you click here to report it. ", MORE ON CRIMESIDERDecember 17, 2009 - Chris Henry Dead: NFL Star Thrown From Truck During Dispute with Fiancee Loleini Tonga, Say Cops, Trending News See a spelling or grammar error in our story? . According to the medical report, the truck was going about 19 miles per hour when Henry came out of the truck and hit his head on the pavement. Chris Henry's fiancee says he jumped out of the back of her truck instead of falling and that she wasn't driving fast on the day the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver was fatally injured. Tonga's parents live in Charlotte. 1 2 NEXT Topics: chris henry cincinnati bengals loleini tonga espn dec charlotte n.c she previously nfl henry tonga jumped truck argument day police Add new comment Original article Share News Clip 1 2 NEXT Constitutional carry bill aims to eliminate handgun permits, Medic: Teen dead, driver seriously injured in crash on I-485 in west Charlotte, PLAN AHEAD: Latest Weather Forecast Video. (CBS/AP) Chris Henry's fiancee Loleini Tonga wept as she spoke about the late Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tuesday, saying that while she often got credit for helping him stay. Henry was labeled a problem child after multiple run ins with referees and police alike throughout his football career but had recently found a new lease on his professional life after the Cincinatti Begals decided to give him a second chance. Friend Talks about Loleini Tonga 5,981 views Feb 23, 2011 3 Dislike Share Save cincinnatidotcom 6.84K subscribers Loleini Tonga's friend Lori Talks about her friends relationship with Chris. Loleini Tonga, fiancee of Chris Henry, will not face any charges stemming from the incident that led to his death. He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte where he remained for 18 hours "before being declared brain dead" the medical report said. "He was likely aware of the injuries he would sustain, the pain that he would suffer, and likely experienced pre-impact terror and fear of his impending death.". Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. There were two Chris Henry related 911 calls made, one from a woman who witnessed Henry on the back of a pickup truck, and the second from a man asking . The report, which was signed off by Mecklenburg County medical examiner Dr. Christopher Gulledge on Friday, indicated Henry suffered numerous head injuries, including a fractured skull and brain hemorrhaging. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He credited much of his. In an interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines" Loleini Tonga spoke about her fiancee Chris Henry's death, TMZ reported. December 17, 2009 / 2:00 PM It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. display: none; He was on leave from the team after a season-ending injury when he died. We cry together, we pray together, we do everything together. Pacman Jones adopts sons of former Bengals wide receiver, More than $1.1 billion in sports bets made by Ohioans in January, Play of the Week: West Chester 8-year-old hits buzzer-beater, died in December of 2009 after falling from his fianc's pick-up truck. Read more in our, Chris Henry's Fiance: He Changed My Life, Chris Henry Made the Most of Second Chances, Trump Responds to Rupert Murdoch's Testimony, As Russians Flee, Finland Builds a Border Fence, In Vuhledar, Russia Kept Falling Into the Same Trap, After 'Grotesque Conduct,' $29M for Kobe Bryant's Family, A 'Stunning Defeat' in Chicago Mayoral Race. #inline-recirc-item--id-d46ccb54-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Loleini Tonga tells ESPN that she thinks Henry thought he would land safely and may have been scared because he saw someone calling the police. Tue, 01/05/2010 - 2:37am. He was 26. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Police have said Tonga was driving the vehicle after a "domestic dispute" between the two. Loleini Tonga will not receive charges from her fiancee Chris Henry's fall, from the bed of the truck which she was driving, that led to the NFL player's death. The police still have an open investigation in regards to the tragic incident. Maybe then the truth will come out or we will be left with even more questions. According to the lawsuit, because of Tonga's actions Henry's children and family will be deprived of his support, care, companionship and expected net income that he would have been provided as a player in the National Football League. Yet the story took a turn on Thursday according to the Cincinnati Enquirer: The estate of former Bengal Chris Henry filed a wrong death lawsuit in North Carolina, accusing Henry's fiancee of. The toxicology report didn't include any other tests for drugs. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. His fianc, Loleini Tonga, told ESPN Henry jumped from the back of the truck while the two were arguing. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CBS/AP) - Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry has died after "battling for his life" following an accident Wednesday that led to him falling out of the back of a pickup truck. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died December 16th after an argument with fiance Loleini Tonga. Photo: Chris Henry with his then-girlfriend Loleini Tonga and one of their three children at Bengals training camp. Please enter valid email address to continue. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The autopsy was done after Henry's family donated several of his organs, including his heart, lungs, liver, kidney, spleen and pancreas. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Now this isnt a logical situation so it is possible, but it seems highly unlikely. Witness Lee Hardy told reporters he heard Henry say, "If you take off, I'm going to jump off the truck and kill myself.". ", "Mr. Henry suffered conscious mental anguish as he was flung from the pickup truck," the suit states. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Henry, the Bengals 2005 third-round pick, died in December of 2009 after falling from his fianc's pick-up truck in North Carolina. ". 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2008-2013 Wopular.com. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. RottenTomatoes. The Cincinnati Bengals lost 23-17 in. "To move up," Ballard said, "there's got to be a guy worthy of it.". #inline-recirc-item--id-d46ccb54-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d46ccb54-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Even though they are actually 400 million miles apart, Jupiter and Venus are so close tonight, it looks like they could collide. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Photo: Cincinnati Bengals Chris Henry with fiance Loleini Tonga, and kids: DeMarcus, 10 months, Seini, 3, and Chris Jr., 2, Sept 15, 2009. At 8:00 PM on December 15, she posted: "Jus put deposIt down 4 weDDing piCs. It remains unclear if Henry jumped or fell out of the truck while it was traveling about 19 mph on a windy road about a mile from the home. }, First published on December 17, 2009 / 2:00 PM. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Headlines from the nation's top news sources. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. I wont speak on it unless the police investigation is complete or someone involved in the situation speaks publicly about it. WEB EXTRA: Click here to read the full lawsuit The lawsuit is asking for conscious pain and suffering and for wrongful death, a sum in excess of $10,000. ), Henrys fiance Loleini Tonga is speaking publicly for the first time about the incident and claims he wasnt thrown from the moving vehicle but instead had elected to jump, apparently assuming he would be able to survive. If she was really going that slow to the point that he felt he could jump out it would once again be highly unlikely he could sustain injuries severe enough to kill him. 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. online newspaper rack, Of course falling off the back of a truck and not being able to brace yourself is more consistent with a head injury to the back of your head. Might the Cowboys consider using a first-round pick on a running back seven years after they did so with Ezekiel Elliott in 2016? DECEMBER 31, 2006: Chris Henry celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown that gave the Bengals the lead. Henrys death in 2009 was caused by blunt force trauma and ruled an accident by the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiners Office. Seini Tonga walks up to the casket of Cincinnati Bengals player Chris Henry during his funeral at the Alario Center on December 22, 2009 in Westwego,. "I learned to handle all situations, so I'll be all right. Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Chris Henry on Chris Henry and fiancee Loleini Tonga - YouTube 0:00 / 2:00 Chris Henry on Chris Henry and fiancee Loleini Tonga cincinnatidotcom 7.04K subscribers Subscribe 128K views 13. Witnesses told police that Henry jumped into the back of the moving vehicle driven by Loleini Tonga in the driveway of her family home in Charlotte on the morning of Dec. 16 during a domestic dispute. She says several times she was not going that fast. Here is the interview with ESPNs John Barr. Tonga attempted to leave in a pickup truck and Chris Henry jumped in the back. he said. @REALPACMAN24 tears up while talking about adopting Chris Henrys kids:We love each other hard. The medical examiner said "the cause of death in this case is blunt force head trauma due to a fall from a motor vehicle" and ruled it as accidental. Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Justin Jefferson can soar even higher. Just for safety reasons most roads have some sort of shoulder. It does not store any personal data. Loleini Tonga's friend, Lori, talks about Loleini's relationship with Chris Henry in a 2009 interview in Charlotte, N.C. Henry was unresponsive when paramedics arrived. She also has a post from Dec. 15 talking about buying wedding rings. Loleini Tonga - Find news stories, facts, pictures and video about Loleini Tonga - Page 1 | Newser. The estate filed the suit in Mecklenburg County courts on January 6th against Tonga and her mother, Ofa Nagauamo Tonga, who owned the 2004 Food pickup truck. "While it is impossible to know the decedent's intent upon leaving the vehicle, whether it represented an intentional jump or an unintentional fall, either act would be classified as an accident," the report said. Henry and Pacman were college teammates at West Virginia University. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. If she wanted to pull over or stop I feel like should could have done so. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Jun. Offers may be subject to change without notice. It just doesnt seem logical for him to just jump out of moving vehicle without knowing he was going to injure himself. Perhaps they would, considering they hold the 26th overall pick and not selection No. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. MWB, Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. giving you a summary view of the top headlines from the top news sites. In 2008, he started that resurgence. James Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. Colts general manager Chris Ballard said he's heard the noise that his team is predestined to trade up to the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and select a quarterback. Tonga, who claimed in an interview with ESPN that Henry jumped from the truck, wasn't charged. CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Adam Pacman Jones has adopted the sons of his good friend and former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Chris Henry. The Huffington Post News Editors, Huffington Post CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the fiancee of former Cincinnati Bengal Chris Henry following his 2009 death in Charlotte. Now, homocide detectives have been assigned to the case, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spokesperson Rosalyn Harrington. ESPN's Outside the Lines obtained the first media interview on Monday with Loleini Tonga, the fiance of the late Chris Henry. Loleini Tonga See Photos Loniuini Tonga See Photos Loleini Taufa See Photos Loleini Pohiva See Photos Loleini Latu (Love one another) See Photos Loleini Latu See Photos Loleini Taufa Longani See Photos Loleini Latu See Photos Lolemaalahi Tonga See Photos Loleini Longomoeloto Tui Teisina See Photos Loleini Finau See Photos Amanaki Tonga (naki) ET, ESPN). Lawsuit filed against former fiancee of NFL player killed in Charlotte, Medical examiner releases autopsy report for Chris Henry, N.C. In cooperation with Loleini Tonga, the mother of Henry's children and his fiance at the time, Jones has had a hand in raising Henry's boys and is now their adopted father. display: none; ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. Loleini Tonga Myspace Pictures Loleini Tonga Photo 1 Loleini Tonga Photo 2 Must Reads. I have a very specific rule in regards to reporting speculation on someones death. CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A toxicology report found no alcohol in Chris Henry's system after the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver died in December from a fractured skull and other head injuries in what has been ruled an accident. ET. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our 3- She claims she didnt stop because she couldnt. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Within a couple miles from the house, Henry came out of the back of the truck and died from the injuries sustained from the impact with the ground. Loleini Tonga known as Leini to her friends had an exclusive interview with ESPN yesterday and spoke on the events that lead to Henrys death. After a troubled history with the law (five arrests in an 18-month span a few years ago), NFL star Chris Henry seemed to be coming back from the brink. An emotional Pacman talked about the strong friendship he and Henry had, saying, For me, its - its heartwarming cause I know my man [Henry] up there, just sitting up there smiling, like I really appreciate you, man.. The truck Henry fell from was going 19 mph when the accident happened, according to the coroners report. Police are investigating, but no. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 15 2013, Updated 9:30 p.m. Tonga says Henry "jumped" from the back of the truck that she was driving . Copyright 2012 WBTV. Henry and Pacman were college teammates at West Virginia University. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". All rights reserved. Henry's brain was taken to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for further examination and also was donated to a group studying brain injuries among professional football players. Bout 2 eaT wiT my maN n bay bayz.. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. WEB EXTRA: Click here to read the full lawsuit. "We love each other hard," Jones explained. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Henry is engaged to Tonga, and the couple has been raising three children. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Loleini Tonga will not receive charges from her fiancee Chris Henry's fall, from the bed of the truck which she was driving, that led to the NFL player's death. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew to space station, Video shows deadly Greek train crash as station boss admits "error", Blinken, Lavrov meet briefly as U.S.-Russia tensions soar, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, White House cybersecurity strategy pivots to regulation, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Rape kits from two women lead to arrest in 1979 murder of one of them, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence. Senh Duong (Founder)Wopular, By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Henry could have made a split second terrible decision that cost him his life. The police who are still investigating I gather might tell a different story than Miss Tonga. A 911 caller told a dispatcher she saw a shirtless man wearing a cast "beating on the back of this truck window."