INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Kenneka Jenkins’ Mom Worked In Cafeteria’s For Seven Years, Had Experience With Double Steel Walk-In Freezers

By Ashley Hoffman
Published on: 03:37 PST, Nov 5, 2017

Tereasa Martin, the grieving mother of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins, spoke out on The Dr. Oz Show about her suspicions of a cover-up in the death of her daughter. Martin, who lives on Chicago’s West Side, said she worked in a cafeteria for about seven years and had previously used the steel double freezers that are similar to the one Kenneka was found dead in, according to 107.5 WGCI’s Chicago Morning TakeOver.

Kenneka Jenkins was found dead in a freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont hotel with what her mother called, “a disgusted look on her face… that’s her angry look… as if someone had agitated her.” Martin then asked the authorities if she could look in the freezer where her daughter’s body was found.

“Can I look in the freezer?… Because I work in a cafeteria, so you can’t tell me she walked in this freezer and couldn’t get out. Y’know, I work with freezers and not only with me working in the CPS cafeteria’s, you know before, uhmm…”

Martin said the leading detectives stated that Kenneka walked in the freezer (failing to mention it was a double freezer), closed the door behind her, and froze to death.

Martin went on to ask the detective about two large white buttons inside the freezers and asked if they were “release buttons.” Teresea said every freezer has a release button so that a person doesn’t get locked in on accident.

“I work in a cafeteria, I’ve been working there for seven years. I say, ‘there shouldn’t have been no way that she shouldn’t have been able to get out these doors.'”

Martin added that the detectives didn’t gather fingerprints from the crime scene. She again noted that she worked in a cafeteria and it is required for employees to clean up after themselves for health, safety, and sanitation purposes.

More recently, Kenneka’s mother and sister were guests on an episode of The Dr. Oz Show and raised more questions surrounding the teen’s death. The nationally syndicated show sent out a news release about Kenneka’s case which cited, “explosive new details” and posed the question, “Was there a cover-up?”

Dr. Oz and fellow presenter Nancy Grace appeared on the show’s “True Crime Tuesday” segment. The hosts questioned the police investigation and offered alternative theories that Jenkins could have been drugged or even kidnapped.

There was a synopsis of the case which included a graphic to describe hypothermia and discussion of different theories. Jenkins’ mother Tereasa Martin and sister Leonore Harris joined the show. The two women sat on the couch and were later accompanied by their attorney, Larry Rogers Jr. The women spoke of how the hotel staff refused to show them video surveillance in the early hours of the search.

Kenneka was missing about 20 hours earlier from a party being held in a ninth-floor room. Kenneka Jenkins was found dead in the hotel freezer September 10.

More recently, Kenneka’s mother welcomed protests days after Kenneka Jenkins’ massive funeral, which was held at a far South Side mega church. Martin led chants of “release the tapes,” “tear it down,” and “justice for Kenneka” that were directed at the hotel located in Rosemont.

Kenneka Jenkins’ Death Ruled An Accident

The Cook County medical examiner’s office and Rosemont police both determined that Jenkins’ death was an accident and that the teen died of exposure to cold. Alcohol and prescription medication were also said to be contributing factors.

Surveillance video showed the teen staggering through the hotel’s hallways and into an empty kitchen before she was said to have entered the freezer, which was just outside of the camera’s view.

In addition to ruling Kenneka Jenkins’ accidental death, police announced that they had closed their investigation. On the show, Dr. Oz said that there is no other evidence that supports any other conclusion of the teen’s death.

“There is no evidence that indicates any other conclusion… no question she died of hypothermia.”

However, the show’s host and Nancy Grace perpetuated rumors from social media of theories and claims that Jenkins was met with foul play. Her mother’s attorneys said that gruesome photographs released by Rosemont police “raise more questions than answers.”

Kenneka Jenkins’ Death Photos Raises Suspicions

On the Dr. Oz episode, Grace and Jenkins’ family said the death photos that were released show Jenkins’ shirt up, exposing her breasts, her pants sitting low, and one shoe off. The images made the family suspicious. While Dr. Oz explained paradoxical undressing, a phenomenon in the end stages of fatal hypothermia, where someone feels a rush of heat and in a dazed state begins to undress; he then stated, “more than likely it’s not what happened, but it’s a possibility.”

Grace interrupted him and said, “this isn’t right.” It was then that Dr. Oz said, “There could be something sinister at play.”

The show also highlighted the autopsy report, which showed prescription medication used to treat epilepsy and migraines, along with alcohol, in Jenkins’ system. Martin said her daughter was not prescribed that drug and is concerned someone may have slipped the pill into her drink, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Oz noted that Jenkins’ blood alcohol content of 0.112 percent, which was above the legal limit for driving of 0.08, “does not do this to you,” as he spoke about video footage of Jenkins stumbling throughout the hotel.

Oz said sometimes medication mixed with alcohol could add to drunkenness. He noted the prescription medication found in Jenkins’ body is also sometimes used for weight loss. Kenneka’s mother said that her daughter wasn’t trying to lose weight. Oz said he then wondered, “Is it one of those party drugs,” mentioning the “date-rape drug.”

“There’s no evidence it’s used this way, but we can’t speculate… This drug should’ve never been in your daughter’s body.”

The show also played a portion of the 911 call Martin made from the hotel, where she went when she learned Jenkins was missing. On it, the dispatcher explains that Jenkins could be with friends and that she could turn up in a couple of hours. He asked if she wanted to file a missing person report.

Martin then asked if police could view the hotel’s security camera footage, but the dispatcher said that could take awhile and the call soon ended.

“Are you kidding me?… and the time is ticking… Waiting a couple hours is the absolute wrong thing to do.”

Dr. Oz added that regardless of whether Kenneka was in the midst of freezing to death, “Whatever is going on here — carjacking, kidnapping — time is not your friend here.”

Martin said she remained calm while searching for her daughter and said, “I knew something was going on with her. I needed help.” Oz comforted her and told her she shouldn’t be “intimidated. That’s not the country we live in.”

Kenneka Jenkins’ Mother Frantically Searches Crowne Plaza Chicago-OHare Hotel For Daughter

Kenneka Jenkins’ family expressed frustration with the initial response of staff members at the Crowne Plaza hotel. The family attorney said Martin, “went to the front counter of that hotel asking for help and it was all ignored,” said Rogers, the family’s attorney.

Nancy Grace responded, pointing at the host,”They would not have dismissed you, Dr. Oz.”

Family members and friends began searching for Kenneka after obtaining little help from the hotel. Martin said members of her group knocked on hotel room doors. One person pulled a fire alarm assuming it would draw people out of their rooms so they could ask questions about Jenkins. Harris said the police “came to arrest us.”

Kenneka’s mother expressed her pain and frustration in dealing with the police on that day.

“I’m angry. I’m hurt also.”

After the show aired, Joe Balogh, a Rosemont police detective, reiterated that the case was thoroughly investigated and that authorities found no evidence to support claims of foul play. Oz described the Jenkins death investigation as “just the tip of the iceberg” and promised to follow up on the case for the family. Martin broke down in tears.

On Tuesday, a statement was released by a Crowne Plaza spokesman offering condolences to Jenkins’ family for the “loss of her promising young life.” However, the hotel statement went on to say that, “there was no blockbuster information or proof from Nancy Grace or Dr. Oz… just more speculation and sensational theories.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ffQY7LENc

The statement asserted that attorneys hired by Kenneka’s mom “are pulling out the stops to encourage protests and national television coverage to create pressure for a financial settlement,” according to Oxygen.

“There has been little discussion of accountability for the parties who are truly responsible here: individuals who used a stolen credit card to book a hotel room. Those individuals then held a party where they were serving alcohol to an underage minor and perhaps dangerous drugs… What happened to Kenneka was a tragic and unforeseeable accident, which was enabled by the irresponsible actions of the people at a party she attended who then deserted her while she was in a severely impaired condition… Discussion of holding these people accountable would be an appropriate use of the time of TV investigators, litigators, and activists.”

Police confirmed that the hotel room used was booked by someone using a fraudulently obtained credit card. Authorities are investigating the matter.

Kenneka Jenkins’ case will likely be the subject of more national TV segments. Other networks and TV documentarians have indicated interest in producing work about the Jenkins case.

[Featured Image ZorPink/Shutterstock]

Share this article: Kenneka Jenkins’ Mom Worked In Cafeteria’s For Seven Years, Had Experience With Double Steel Walk-In Freezers
More from Inquisitr