The Family Of Kenneka Jenkins Releases Information On Funeral Services

Though the suspicious death of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins remains an unsolved mystery, the young woman’s family has released details about when she will be laid to rest.

On a message posted to Facebook, Tereasa Martin announced that the family will hold a public viewing for her daughter, who went missing at the Crown Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel & Conference Center in the early hours of September 9. The viewing will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, September 30 at Salem Baptist Church on Chicago’s South Side. Funeral services will be held directly afterwards from noon to 1 p.m.

Martin noted in the Facebook post that “All are welcome if you come in peace.”

Kenneka Jenkins’ death has remained a highly publicized case. Protestors have demanded that Rosemont, Illinois police investigate her passing as a homicide, despite initial reports that they did not suspect foul play. Her family has also requested that the FBI get involved to provide more concrete evidence in the investigation, however, the agency confirmed in a statement last week that they have no plans to take over the investigation.

Although video footage has been released showing the Chicago teen walking towards the area of the walk-in freezer where her body was found, Martin is pressing officials to provide more. “Show me the video of my child walking into that freezer,” Martin said during a Facebook Live video posted over the weekend.

Rosemont police are still awaiting toxicology reports before making a final determination on Jenkins’ cause of death. In the meantime, her family continues to call for a fair assessment on what happened to the young woman who went to a party and never returned home.

Saturday’s funeral will be presided over by Rev. T. Meeks, the senior pastor at Salem Baptist Church. Although Martin says the hotel volunteered to pay for the services, she insists, “What I do want—and money can’t buy this—I want justice.”