Upon the accidental death of a member before retirement, provided that evidence shall be submitted to such board proving that the death of such member was the natural and proximate result of an accident sustained while a member and while in the performance of duty at some definite time and place and that such death was not the result of wilful negligence on his or her part, his or her accumulated deductions shall be paid to his or her estate, or to such persons as he or she has nominated or shall nominate by written designation, duly acknowledged and filed with such board. Upon application by or on behalf of the dependent of such deceased member, such board shall grant a lump sum payment of the reserve-for-increased-take-home-pay and, in addition thereto, a pension of one-half of the final compensation of such employee, which pension shall in no case be less than one-half of the full salary payable to a first grade police officer on the date of death of such employee:
1. To his or her surviving spouse, to continue until the death of the surviving spouse; or
2. If there be no surviving spouse, or if the surviving spouse dies before any child of such deceased member shall have attained the age of eighteen years, or if a student, before such child shall have attained the age of twenty-three years, then to his or her child or children under such age, divided in such manner as such board in its discretion shall determine, to continue as a joint and survivor pension of one-half of his or her final compensation until every such child dies or attains such age; or
3. If there be no surviving spouse or child under the age of eighteen years, or if a student, under the age of twenty-three years, surviving such deceased member, then to his or her dependent father or mother, as the deceased member shall have nominated by written designation duly acknowledged and filed with such board; or, if there be no such nomination, then to his or her dependent father or to his or her dependent mother, as such board in its discretion shall direct, to continue for life.
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and solely for the purposes of this section, a member shall be deemed to have died as the natural and proximate result of an accident sustained in the performance of duty upon which his or her membership is based, and not as a result of willful negligence on his or her part, provided that such member was in active service upon which his or her membership is based at the time that such member was ordered to active duty pursuant to Title 10 of the United States Code, with the armed forces of the United States or to service in the uniformed services pursuant to 38 U.S.C. Chapter 43, and such member died while on such active duty or service in the uniformed services on or after June fourteenth, two thousand five while serving on such active military duty or in the uniformed services.