As questions surrounding a Chicago teen’s mysterious death continue to rise, the family of the 19-year-old found dead in a suburban hotel freezer is expected to see surveillance video from the hotel during a meeting with police Thursday. Emily Florez reports.
The hotel where a Chicago teen was found dead in a kitchen freezer over the weekend announced Thursday it has offered a confidential view of surveillance video as well as payment for funeral expenses to the girl’s family.
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont has offered to pay for the funeral costs for Kenneka Jenkins to assist her family as they grieve the 19-year-old woman’s death, the hotel said in a press release.
Rosemont police were still attempting to piece together the death of Jenkins. She was pronounced dead at 12:48 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located at 5440 N. River Rd. in Rosemont, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
“The entire Crowne Plaza at Rosemont family grieves the death of Kenneka Jenkins. It is the tragic loss of a promising young person,” said hotel spokesman Glenn Harston in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the Kenneka’s mother, her family and friends. We hope covering the funeral costs provides a small bit of relief for them.”
Facebook videos purportedly taken from a hotel room party Jenkins was said to have been shared thousands of times. As the posts sparked amateur online detectives to flood social media with accusations and conjecture, police gave an official update Wednesday.
They say the department is still conducting a death investigation.
“Our detectives are working around the clock to identify, locate, and interview all persons who were involved,” the department said in a release. “Additionally, certain videos related to this investigation have been sent to specialized forensic technicians for further analysis.”
Police said they have interviewed 12 people who were “involved in some way”—including eight who were present the night or morning of the hotel party Jenkins attended.
Police are still searching for four other people who were at the party they say they want to talk to but did not elaborate.
“As interviews continue, the names and whereabouts of more people present that night are being discovered,” the department’s press release says.
Police said the Crowne Plaza hotel has been “extremely cooperative” and has provided all video surveillance along with employee rosters. Family members of Jenkins and community activist Andrew Holmes had implied at an earlier press conference that the hotel was withholding some security footage.
“Finally, the Rosemont Public Safety Department and the Village of Rosemont understand the loss of a loved one is extremely hard,” police said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Kenneka Jenkins.”
An autopsy was conducted pending results, police said.
