Kenneka Jenkins

Kenneka Jenkins was a 19-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, whose death in 2017 drew widespread attention and public speculation.

Kenneka Jenkins was a 19-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, whose death in 2017 drew widespread attention and public speculation. She was found in a walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare hotel in Rosemont after attending a party there. Authorities ruled the death accidental, citing hypothermia with alcohol and topiramate as contributing factors.

Death

Jenkins disappeared after attending a party at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. She was last seen after the party and was later found dead inside a walk-in freezer. Reports state that she had been missing for nearly a day before being discovered.

Investigation and ruling

The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental and attributed it to hypothermia due to cold exposure. Toxicology findings reported alcohol and topiramate in her system as contributing factors. Rosemont police said they did not suspect foul play, though the investigation was initially described as incomplete. The case was later closed with no evidence of foul play.

Public response

The case drew intense attention on social media and in news coverage, with criticism focused on the hotel response and the initial handling of the search for Jenkins. Public speculation grew amid the incomplete investigation, though authorities maintained the death was accidental.

Civil litigation

Jenkins' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hotel and others. Reports later stated that the case was settled in 2023.