Surveillance video reportedly released of teen girl who died inside hotel freezer

A Chicago activist allegedly saw the surveillance video of a teen girl who died after getting locked in a walk-in freezer at a Chicago hotel.

As Crime Online previously reported, authorities found Kenneka Jenkins, 19, deceased inside a walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Police found her body at around 12:48 a.m. on Sunday morning. Jenkins went to the hotel on Friday night and was reported missing on Saturday.

Police initially did not suspect foul play and learned that the teen may have gotten drunk at a party held at the hotel. Jenkins’ mother, Tereasa Martin, however, insisted that authorities wouldn’t take her daughter’s death seriously. Martin said she thought her daughter was murdered.

“We were begging for help, and no one was helping…..Those were double steel doors, she didn’t just pop them open,” Martin told reporters.

Chicago Tribune reports that Andrew Holmes, a Chicago community activist who worked with law enforcement agencies during his days as an anti-violence advocate, stated that he saw the hotel’s surveillance footage of the morning in question. According to Holmes, Jenkins took an elevator down to the lower levels of the hotel. She then wandered around and eventually walked into the kitchen area and then into the freezer.

Holmes said no one forced her into the freezer, but the family is awaiting the results of the teen’s toxicology report to determine if someone possibly slipped narcotics into her drink.

“The important part is we all wanted to know: Did anybody call her down there? Did anybody force her down there?,” Holmes said. “Was there anybody on the other side of the room when she got down there? And the answer to that is no.”

During a protest outside of the hotel on Thursday evening, Martin claimed that the activist misrepresented her. She said she hadn’t seen the video herself, but planned to watch it with her lawyer, Larry Rogers. Numerous protestors gathered alongside Martin and chanted for justice, despite Holmes’ statement.

“He came out of the blue and acting … like he was a friend,” Martin said. “But he calls me this morning and says, ‘Oh the hotel is not making any money. I think you need to go online and stop the protest.'”

Glenn Harston, a spokesperson for Crowne Plaza, said that the hotel would be happy to pay for Jenkins’ funeral.

“Our hearts go out to Kenneka’s mother, her family and friends. We hope covering the funeral costs provides a small bit of relief for them,” Harston said.

Additional Reading

HOTEL HORROR: Employees find missing 19-year-old girl’s body in walk-in freezer

Kenneka Jenkins: Police searching for witnesses in teen’s hotel freezer death [UPDATE]

Kenneka Jenkins: Mom believes teen found in freezer was murdered, accuses police of not taking case ‘seriously’ [UPDATE]

‘How did she find the strength?’: Questions arise after 19-year-old dies in hotel walk-in freezer [UPDATE]

[Feature Photo: Twitter]