A woman accidentally shot to death in front of her toddler by a Burlington police officer — in a scene caught on video that remains hidden from the public — will be paid $2 million as part of a wrongful death settlement that alleged a cover-up.

Autumn Steele, 34, was fatally shot in January 2015 by Officer Jesse Hill, who had been responding to a domestic disturbance and said he had fired his gun in part to fend off an attacking dog.

Burlington Police, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Des Moines County Attorney have refused to release more than a 12-second clip of the footage captured on Hill’s body camera during the shooting.

The family and the Burlington Hawkeye newspaper have fought for more than three years for the public release of the full video in a separate and ongoing case before the Iowa Public Information Board.

The full video — part of sealed evidence in the wrongful-death case — does not corroborate Hill’s account in his police report that he was bitten by the dog before firing the shot, Dave O’Brien, a Cedar Rapids attorney who represents the Steele family, said during a hearing last month.

The settlement was announced June 6, but the amount had not been made public. O’Brien released a statement Monday morning revealing the dollar figure.

O’Brien noted standard language in the settlement denying any wrongful conduct.

“However, everyone should know that cities and their insurance carriers do not pay $2 million to settle a claim unless they have concluded the claim has significant merit,” O’Brien said. “Make no mistake about it, this settlement vindicates the Steele family’s claim that Hill acted wrongfully in causing Autumn’s death.”

Hill continues to work as an officer for the Burlington Police Department. He did not immediately respond Monday for comment.

Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers cleared Hill of criminal wrongdoing a month after the shooting.

Beavers at the time said her decision was supported by the body camera evidence, witness statements and reports from the DCI.

Beavers was not part of the settlement discussions but on Monday emphasized her role was in clearing Hill of "criminal" wrongdoing.

Beavers declined Monday to discuss what she saw on the video or whether the contents contradict statements Hill made in his report following Steele's death. Her seven-page letter to DCI officials in February of 2015 indicate Hill's video was recording at the time Hill fired his gun twice: Hitting Steele in the arm and chest and hitting the family's German shepherd, Sammy. (The dog survived the injury.)

Beavers' report says Hill was bitten on one of his thighs by the dog and had advised the Steele family to "get the dog" but that the animal continued toward Hill, which is when he drew his weapon.

O'Brien viewed the secret video footage as part of his role in the wrongful death case. He indicated in the federal court hearing last month that the video does not show that Hill was bitten.

"...the video doesn't show him making any claim that the dog bit him or that the dog was coming at him with the teeth exposed and coming to get him, never says anything of the sort immediately after the incident in contrast to what he put in his report later," O'Brien said

Beavers' report says photos were taken of Hill's injury but, to date, city, county and state officials have declined to make the information public.

Beavers in March withdrew her candidacy for re-election after criticism about her decision to decline to prosecute a nursing home operator for fear that his conviction would have closed the facility.

The Iowa Freedom of Information Council this month filed a motion in federal court to contest numerous legal documents that were filed under seal in the case.

Even Steele’s family’s motion to unseal records was sealed, the council noted in its motion.

“Such secrecy undermines the accountability of government officials and the public’s acceptance of any result reached through use of the federal judiciary,” the council’s motion states.