After years of legal battles, a settlement has been reached in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Kenneka Jenkins, the 19-year-old woman who was found dead in a walk-in freezer at a Rosemont hotel in 2017. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but it brings a degree of closure to a case that sparked widespread public attention and raised questions about hotel safety and negligence.
Jenkins’ death occurred in September 2017 after she attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel. Her body was discovered in a walk-in freezer in a vacant part of the hotel nearly 24 hours after she was last seen alive. The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, with authorities ruling it an accidental death due to hypothermia from exposure to cold. However, Jenkins’ family has long maintained that foul play was involved.
In 2018, Jenkins’ mother, Tereasa Martin, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hotel, alleging negligence and a failure to provide adequate security. The lawsuit claimed that the hotel failed to properly monitor the party and allowed Jenkins to enter a dangerous area without supervision.
The settlement, reached in September 2023, brings an end to the legal proceedings but does not provide definitive answers about Jenkins’ death. However, it acknowledges the family’s loss and provides some form of compensation for their suffering.
The case of Kenneka Jenkins serves as a reminder of the importance of hotel safety and the need for vigilance in protecting guests. It also highlights the importance of thorough investigations and transparency in cases involving unexplained deaths. While the settlement brings some closure, the questions surrounding Jenkins’ death may never be fully answered.