The family of Kenneka Jenkins to receive $6.4 million settlement from hotel

The family of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins will receive more than $6.4 million in damages as part of a wrongful death settlement. Jenkins tragically died in 2017 after being locked inside a hotel freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont.

The settlement, totaling $10 million, was disclosed on Tuesday after a lawsuit filed by Jenkins’ mother against the hotel’s parent company, security firm, and restaurant.

Jenkins had attended a private party at the hotel on September 8, 2017, and was found dead in the walk-in freezer two days later. The family alleged negligence on the part of the hotel staff, claiming they failed to secure the freezer or conduct a proper search when Jenkins went missing.

The settlement includes more than $3.5 million for the family’s attorneys, over $6,000 for funeral costs, and more than $6.4 million to be divided among Jenkins’ mother and two other relatives.

Tereasa Martin, Jenkins’ mother, will receive more than $3.7 million, while the other two relatives will get $1.5 million and $1.2 million. Originally seeking $50 million in damages, Martin’s lawsuit focused on the staff’s failure to monitor security cameras that could have prevented Jenkins’ death.

The circumstances surrounding Jenkins’ demise sparked controversy, with questions raised about foul play and potential mishandling of the case by the police. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death an accident, citing hypothermia exacerbated by alcohol and medication found in her system.