The day I heard about the mysterious death of Kenneka Jenkins is the same day that I stopped sleeping at night. I’ve been discussing her via social media and praying for the release of her spirit and soul privately. No, I don’t know Kenneka or her family personally. But, do I have to in order to be filled with melancholy over her death? I was 19 before. I have a 19 year old niece and a 19 year old cousin. They like to hangout with friends just as I did and still do. . I’ve been intoxicated before even though I was under age. I’ve done it all. Luckily none of my incidents turned fatal.
None of the information provided to the public regarding Kenneka’s death made sense. I still can’t believe authorities had the audacity to inform her Mother (Ms.Martin) that she walked in a freezer and froze to death. Keep in mind they told her this after she had been calling authorities and begging the Crown Plaza Hotel of Rosemeont, IL to review their cameras because her daughter was missing. First the hotel refused, and then they told Ms. Martin (Kenneka’s Mom) she wasnt on any footage.
After the police came to do a search of the hotel her body was found in a freezer of a kitchen that the hotel no longer uses. None of the other kitchen appliances were operating or plugged up but the freezer for some reason was. Alleged video footage of a much wider girl hit the internet staggering as if she had been drugged surfaced. It was allegedly Kenneka. It shows her going to different places in the hotel and walking into a kitchen, but nothing else! It’s not even a full video of footage:It’s pieces of clips. www.abc7chicagonews.com said police put together some instruments within the video to reconstruct what they believed was Kenneka’s path. That statement alone explains the lack of authenticity.
Kenneka’s death was ruled as an accident, and the case was officially closed this evening. I never believed that Kenneka’s death was an accident! Today photos of her body were released to the public. Indecent photos. Pictures of Kenneka’s lifeless body in a freezer on the floor with her breast exposed, her pants halfway up, a busted lip, and a shoe off and away from her foot! There is blood visible on her body as well as on the floor. There is also a large amount of dirt on the side of her Jordan gym shoe, and all up one side of her clothes. To be honest it looks as if Kenneka had been dragged on her side across the floor.
The photos that were released are disrespectful to Kenneka and her family. It’s apparent that there is no respect for the dead. Let me rephrase. There is no respect for a Black womans body parts or lifeless body as a whole, which is another reason why I feel her case is being dismissed! The pictures just raise more questions and speculation. If she froze to death why does she look beaten up? Why are her private parts exposed? Why is there blood on the floor? How could this be ruled as an accident? Who are the hotel and possibly the police trying to protect?
I hope someone has a conscience and decides to tell the truth about what happened to Kenneka. Kenneka is much more than just a teenage girl that lost her life. Kenneka is our daughter, little sister, favorite little cousin, niece, the little girl you watched grow up that lives down the street, and friend. Kenneka is you and I when we were young. Wouldn’t you want your community to care enough to discover the truth, and just maybe be able to provide your family with some closure?
Tell us what happened to Kenneka.