‘Graphic And Disturbing’ Kenneka Jenkins Death Photos Raise More Questions, Lawyer Says

The investigation into the death of Chicago teen Kenneka Jenkins was closed by police Friday, but not everyone was convinced that the case should have been shut. Death photos from the scene showed Jenkins was missing one shoe and her shirt was pulled over her chest. While police said there was no foul play involved, that Jenkins’ death was a tragic accident, her mother and lawyer remained unconvinced.

The Jenkins family saw the pictures the day before police closed the investigation. They were “graphic and disturbing images (that) inexplicably show portions of Kenneka’s body exposed,” Sam Adam Jr., a lawyer for Jenkins’ mother Tereasa Martin, said in a statement, according to a Thursday report by the Chicago Tribune.

Larry Rogers Jr., another attorney for Martin, revealed the images were “of a personal, private and indecent nature.”

Jenkins, 19, was found in the freezer at Rosemont hotel freezer Sept. 10, nearly 24 hours after she went missing. Earlier, she had attended a party on the ninth floor with her friends.

When she was discovered in the freezer, the shirt beneath her jacket “was pulled up exposing her breasts,” the police report said.

“Frankly, the photos depicting how Kenneka was found raise more questions about what happened to Kenneka Jenkins than they answer,” Rogers said in the news release.

As the Chicago Tribune noted, there might be a reason — and not a sinister one — as to why Jenkins’ shirt was over her chest. Sometimes, people who are freezing to death try to take their clothes off. The publication cited a 1979 article from a scientific journal.

“It is concluded that paradoxical undressing might be explained by changes in peripheral vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels supplying the extremities) in the deeply hypothermic person,” the article said. “It represents the last effort of the victim and is followed almost immediately by unconsciousness and death.”

Jenkins’ death went viral on social media, with many peddling conspiracy theories. Things like her friends getting paid to have her raped from Jenkins being the victim of an organ trafficking ring were hot topics on the internet. Despite all the speculation, police said Jenkins’ death was nothing more than a tragic accident. They interviewed 44 people and wrote 135 reports.

“While there were many theories, rumors and much speculation floating around social media regarding the death of Ms. Jenkins, none were supported with facts. While all leads and theories were investigated by our department, what we have reported throughout the investigation and again, today, are facts,” their Friday statement from Police Chief Donald Stephens III said.

“Our detective reported no signs of foul play throughout the whole investigation,” he added. “There is no evidence that Ms. Jenkins was forced to drink alcohol or consume any narcotics while at the hotel.”

Jenkins’ mother did not release a public statement after the case was closed.

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