Kobe Bryant Crash: Vanessa Bryant Says LA County Took Daughter's Pics Because 'Her Daddy Couldn’t Protect Her'

Vanessa Bryant's invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Los Angeles County continues. Friday, August 19, reached an emotional peak never witnessed before since the start of the trial as the widow took the stand for the first time.

As you might know, Vanessa sued the County, eight deputies, and other defendants for their involvement in the unauthorized taking and sharing of the helicopter crash site photos.

In Friday's court session, Vanessa recalled the emotional distress she has suffered due to the photos and how Los Angeles County betrayed her trust.

Per reports, the widow of the legendary basketball player took the stand in an all-black ensemble and went on to discuss the "difficult subject" of her husband and 13-year-old daughter Gianna's death in the Jan. 26 Calabasas helicopter crash.

Vanessa recalled being at home when Kobe's assistant informed her of the crash. At the time, she was told there were five survivors, but she soon started notifications that read, "RIP Kobe" on her mobile phone.

She immediately drove to Orange County airport with her eldest daughter Natalia and there met LA Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka who drove them to the station. Upon arrival, Vanessa recalled "I just kept saying, ‘Where are they?'" Unfortunately, after meeting privately with Sheriff Alex Villanueva, she was informed of both Kobe and Gianna's death.

When asked by her attorney Luis Li if Sheriff Villanueva informed her that some of his deputies took upclose photos of the remains as part of standard procedure, Vanessa answered that he only assured her that the department would protect the scene from drone photography and paparazzi as well as implement a no-fly zone.

Vanessa went about her business, continuing to grieve her husband and daughter while trying to continue their legacy. She spoke at the televised memorial held at the Staples Center on February 24, when four days after, she learned of the County's atrocities from a Los Angeles Times article.

She then recalled the heartwrenching moment she found out her husband and daughter's remains were shared in a Norwalk bar by a deputy through tears. The doting mother-of-four remembered being in the living room with her three other daughters and watching TV with Kobe's former teammate Pau Gasol and his wife Catherine McDonnell.

She was nursing her youngest daughter Capri when a friend informed her of the articles. "I just remember not wanting to react because the girls were in the room," Vanessa said as she remembered handing over her daughter to McDonnell.

"I ran to the side of the house and broke down — I wanted to run and scream. It was like having the sensation of wanting to run off a pier into the ocean, but I can't escape my body," she continued.

Vanessa confirmed to her attorney during the deposition that no one from LA County informed her about the photos, allowing her to "just get surprised by it." The grieving widow and mother slammed the County for keeping her "blindsided."

"I trusted them not to do these things," she lamented. "I expected them to have more compassion, respect. My husband and daughter deserved dignity." Vanessa through tears remembered how her husband's remains were recovered on the first day of the crash but they had to wait until the second day to find her baby girl, Gianna.

Through heavy sobs, Vanessa slammed County officials, alleging that anyone who took pictures of her teenage daughter had to have moved a sheet, in the process, "taking advantage of the fact that her daddy couldn’t protect her because he was at the morgue."

She recalled sweet moments with the late NBA legend and how he was proud to be a girl dad. Kobe had plans to coach all his daughters and help them hone their basketball skills. A "helpless" and "angry" Vanessa, who was deposed by the County's attorney about how the trial is only exposing details of the crash — especially graphic details of the crash site — explained her reason for suing.

"I’m willing to go through hell and back to get justice for my husband and daughter," she declared. The 40-year-old recalled how she received threats on social media, with an anonymous user warning her that, "Ima leak Kobe's dead boy."

Vanessa explained that she still has panic attacks thinking that it's possible that photos of her husband and daughter could be leaked. "The grief is from their loss. The fear and anxiety is from those photos," she shared.