Lt. Travis Whitman, center, of the Garden Grove Police Department answers questions from the media during a news conference during a news conference to discuss the events surrounding the deceased female body that was discovered in a room at the Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in Garden Grove. 1:13 A.M. Ms. Jenkins arrives at the Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel, 5440 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL to attend a private party in a hotel room. Deaths. At first, people saw the Facebook Live video posted byIrene Robertsand stated that Jenkins was raped and killed in the room. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. On the one-year anniversary of her death, we look back the theories that kept us scrolling social media for answers. The robberies have happened at least 10 times at the Crowne Plaza Midtown on West . According to the latest developments, Rosemont officials will share the hotels surveillance video with Martin. The family of Kenneka Jenkins, who was found dead in an Illinois hotel's walk-in freezer, has disputed the account of an activist who said that surveillance footage showed there was no foul play involved in her death. Many who are aware of her case have watched the video countless times, and some are taking to social media to discuss their theories. She was at the hotel the night of September 8 for a party with friends on the ninth floor. Become an IHG One Rewards. However, he stated, more than likely its not what happened, but its a possibility. There has been no resolve why her clothing appeared that way. Since her death, many theories have popped up on the Internet claiming that Jenkins was murdered. All Rights Reserved. Ms. Jenkins mother and sister are able to view the body of Kenneka Jenkins prior to being removed. national attention since she was found in a freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont on Sept. 10 Rosemont police have given no indication they believe foul play could have been involved, but are waiting for autopsy results before making a determination on manner of death. 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. [5] Hotel management stated that they could not provide access to video footage from the night before until someone reported Jenkins missing to the police, who officially reported her missing to hotel management at 1:15 p.m. Saturday. The Cook County Medical Examiner Investigator arrives. Follow @shamika_sanders Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts. Kenneka L. Jenkins, 19, was found dead inside an industrial walk-in freezer at Rosemont's Crowne Plaza around midnight Sunday, more than 24 hours after leaving her home on Chicago's West Side . Because the investigation is only hours old, police could notyetdetermine how the woman was killed, Whitman said. Alcohol and a prescription drug are listed as contributing factors to her death. Chicago activist: Video of Kenneka Jenkins shows her walking into freezer alone - Chicago Tribune, Kenneka Jenkins video shows her staggering through kitchen, not entering freezer - Chicago Tribune, Autopsy and toxicology report on Kenneka Jenkins' death - Chicago Tribune, Police reports offer new details on investigation into Kenneka Jenkins' death - Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune - We are currently unavailable in your region. Public demand for footage of Kenneka Jenkins before her death reached a climax after Chicago activist Andrew Holmes held a press conference claiming he saw footage of Kenneka physically walking into the freezer and not coming out. The only additional information the police provided was that the deceased woman's was 24-years-old. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Kenneka Jenkins disappeared in September 2017 while attending a party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Rosemont police have released nine video clips showing Jenkins walking through the hotel in the hours before her death. While the case has been closed and her death ruled an accident, the question, What happened to Kenneka Jenkins? Jenkins was officially reported missing on the next day at 1pm and found dead in the freezer September 10 at 1am. There was no sign of trauma other than a small cut on her foot. After police released footage of Kenneka meandering through the halls, skeptics werent satisfied with the conclusion. Located near Greektown, Crowne Plaza Chicago West Loop features thoughtfully designed rooms, premium amenities, elegant meeting spaces, and free Wi-Fi. Details about where in the room she was found were also not available. The Rosemont police department issued a statement the same day, saying that while no foul play was suspected, their investigation had not yet been completed. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Officeruled Jenkins' death an accident. Rosemont police found in their investigation that the door could not be opened from the inside unless a circular handle was pushed to release the latch. "It takes strength to open these doors, the freezer doors. She had been reported missing by family members about 24 hours before. Surveillance video from the Crowne P. How safe is your neighborhood? Toxicology tests detected alcohol and topiramate, an epilepsy/migraine medication, in the woman's system, which contributed to her death, the M.E. Martin appeared on the Dr. Oz show, where Oz attempted to explain why Kennekas clothing could have been effected by the hypothermia with a phenomenon called paradoxical undressing. This lawsuit has no merit and we will vigorously contest it.'. By She was found at approximately 12:30 a.m. Sunday. The front desk has multilingual staff on hand 24/7 to help with concierge . -At 11:30 p.m., she arrives at Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel to attend a private party in a hotel room. Jenkins death has drawn national attention since she was found in a freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont on Sept. 10. Part of IHG Hotels. 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins was found dead inside a latched freezer of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, after attending a party there on September 8, 2017. CHICAGO (CBS/AP) -- The family of Kenneka Jenkins, who was found dead in a kitchen freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont, has filed a lawsuit, seeking $50 million in damages. Topiramate taken together with alcohol can enhance the effects of both, and hasten the onset of hypothermia, the presence of which was confirmed by lesions found in Jenkins' stomach. Shamika Sanders is the managing editor for HelloBeautiful where she carries out a vision to uplift Black women by telling their unique stories. 'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.async=true;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); The police have said that the woman, Kenneka Jenkins, 19, attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Village of Rosemont, Ill., just northwest of Chicago, on Friday night. An acquaintance who arrived at the party noticed that Jenkins appeared to be swaying back and forth as she embraced him in a hug. Jenkins' final documented moments are these, according to Rosemont police: -She leaves her home on the West Side of Chicago at 11:30 p.m. Friday Sept. 8. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. 12:25 A.M. Ms. Jenkins body is discovered by a Crowne Plaza Hotel employee. The victim's friends reported seeing her drink cognac at the party, and her blood alcohol level was found to be above the legal limit for driving in Illinois. A better way to do business. The suit says that staff failed to monitor security cameras that would have alerted them to Jenkins' whereabouts, thus preventing her death. After Jenkins' mother filed a police report, hotel staff conducted an 11-hour search and found Jenkins' body in the freezer. The reply came back, "Find Kenneka," and "I can't believe ya'll [sic] lost her. At Crowne Plaza Hotel Chicago O'Hare, an IHG Hotel, guests enjoy an indoor pool, a gym, and free WiFi in public areas. Police are trying to locate and interview four others who were present that night. Hotel Finance Manager (Full-Time) Crowne Plaza Perth. After mounting public pressure, police on Wednesday released a statement on the status of their investigation. The family filed a missing persons report at 1.15pm, at which time the hotel searched for Jenkins but failed to find her. @shamika_sanders. 12:46 P.M. Ms. Jenkins sister arrives at the Rosemont police station to file a Missing Persons report. Non-smoking rooms. Though the case attracted suspicion of foul play even after surveillance video showed Jenkins stumbling through the hotel in a drunken stupor, the medical examiner ruled that she had accidentally died after becoming stuck in the freezer. The 24-year-oldwoman was found inside a room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 12021 Harbor Blvd., at 9:51 a.m. after police received a call of suspicious circumstances at the hotel, said Lt. Travis Whitman. Jenkins mom,Tereasa Martin rushed to the hotel to find her daughter and persuaded the cops to search for her, as well. After she went missing, one friend texted another about how Jenkins was drunk and missing. ROSEMONT, Ill. (WLS) -- A 19-year-old Chicago woman was discovered dead early Sunday inside a freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont, police said. [10], Jenkins' friends' stories remained inconsistent as to exactly what had happened after the party. As of Dec 23, 2022, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Crowne Plaza Chicago SW - Burr Ridge, an IHG Hotel on Dec 25, 2022 start from $110, excluding taxes and fees. "[2] They told Martin that Jenkins had gone downstairs with some people, but they left her alone to go and retrieve a cellphone from one of the hotel rooms. We are saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with the young woman and her family during this difficult time. The Cook County Medical Examiner's autopsy report showed that Jenkins died from accidental hypothermia. Conspiracy #1: She Was Being Raped While Her Friends Were On FB Live. 7:14 A.M. Rosemont Public Safety receives a call from Teresa Martin (Ms. Jenkins mother) saying that she cant find her daughter. Kenneka could be seen in the reflection of her friends sunglasses, but reports that she was being sexually assaulted proved to be unfounded. Police held a press conference at 2:30 p.m. todaybut little information was available. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Video, audio and police reports provide the most complete timeline yet in the death of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins in a Rosemont hotel's walk-in freezer in September 2017. Questions remained as to why the freezer was turned on, although it was reportedly being leased out to a restaurant using space in the hotel. He displayed photos of a freezer door, showing that it had a lock button from the outside, and suggested someone may have inadvertently locked the freezer door. On September 10th 2017, 19 year old Kenneka Jenkins was found murdered in a FREEZER at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare hotel in the small city of Rosemont, Illinois. Preliminary autopsy results are expected on Wednesday. Death of an American teenager that occurred on September 8, 2017, Keilman, John and Pratt, Gregory (October 13, 2017), Byrne, John and Rosenberg-Douglas, Katherine (September 11, 2017), "Police Reports Offer New Details on Investigation into Kenneka Jenkins' Death", "People Are Baffled By The Footage Of This Woman's Mysterious Death In A Hotel Freezer", "Footage of 'Body in Freezer' Victim Kenneka Jenkins Final Moments Released", "Kenneka Jenkins' Mother Knew Something was Wrong Hours Before Police Looked For Her", "Teen From Chicago Found Dead in Walk-in Freezer at Rosemont Hotel", "Mother of Teen who Stumbled into Hotel's Walk-in Freezer Suing after Horrific Death", "A woman was found dead in a hotel freezer. Property features. Jenkins' family and friends criticized the initial police response, and a lawsuit was subsequently filed against the hotel and others. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jenkins . Kenneka Jenkins is seen wandering through an empty kitchen at Crowne Plaza hotel. All Rights Reserved. Her family said that police told them that Jenkins was intoxicated when she walked into the freezer. "We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Kenneka Jenkins," the department said. 3:08 A.M. Please enter valid email address to continue. The circumstances surrounding her death generated controversy, with friends and family members questioning whether foul play had occurred -- and whether police mishandled the case. by: C i. While the Rosemont police department did not suspect foul play, they stated that their investigation was incomplete. They instead went to a party on the ninth floor of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. Further searches are conducted as more CCTV is reviewed. 'The death of Kenneka Jenkins was a tragedy, but the proximate cause of her death were the unsavory individuals who used a stolen credit card to book a room and host an illegal party which Ms. Jenkins attended,' he said. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)? While the Congress Plaza Hotel reigns supreme in the world of Chicago's haunted hotels, The Drake Hotel (140 E. Walton Place) is a strong second. And, according to the authorities, they are leaving no stone unturned to determine the cause of her death. [3] Camera footage later surfaced of Jenkins staggering near the front desk at 3:20 a.m.[4], About one hour later, Jenkins' friends contacted her mother, Teresa Martin, who arrived at the hotel around 5:30 a.m. to assist in the search. The Crowne Plaza hotel 'fails to meet the client's recovery needs', said his lawyer. Surveillance video showed Jenkins walking near the freezer . Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center is a 3.5 star hotel located at 5440 N River Rd in Chicago. Daily housekeeping. 815 reviews. In a 911 recording made after Jenkins vanished but before she was found, her mother tells a dispatcher that she fears her daughter has been drinking after speaking to her friends. Kenneka Jenkins was last seen Saturday . A spokesman for the Crowne Plaza told the Tribune in a statement that the hotel would fight the lawsuit. Jenkins, 19, disappeared in the early morning of Sept. 9, 2017, after attending a party held in a room of the Crowne Plaza. Lt. Travis Whitman of the Garden Grove Police Department holds a news conference to speak about the deceased female body that was discovered in a room at the Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in Garden Grove. The family is seeking a judgment in excess of $50 million, the lawsuit says. Adam said numerous requests for all videos and photos showing Jenkins going into the freezer on her own have not been forthcoming.. [2] Traces of topiramate, a drug used to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches, were found in her system, although she was never prescribed this medication. The attorneys for the family of Kenneka Jenkins said police told the teens mother and sister that more information would be released to the public and the family Friday, with the exception of a few select photographs they wished to share with the family before they were released., Those photos, attorneys said,are graphic and disturbing images and inexplicably show portions of Kennekas body exposed..