On Sep. 10, Kenneka Jenkins was found dead inside of a Rosemont hotel in Chicago. Kenneka’s story is quickly being spread throughout Twitter: Kenneka was with her ‘best friends’ at a club, ended up in the hotel, Kenneka was abandoned by her friends at the hotel, where she was last seen alive. Her body was found in a freezer inside the hotel. It is suspected that her friends set her up to be raped for $200 dollars, where she ended up being murdered.
According to Kenneka’s mother, the police told her they believe, “Kenneka let herself into the freezer while inebriated”. Kenneka’s mother, as well as many others, have high speculations of the events the occurred that night. The hotel freezer doors were two large metal doors, which an inebriated teenager would be unable to open while being so close to death. In fact, close friends and family of Kenneka’s know things that police have not included in their unofficial reports. It is believed that one of Kenneka’s friends that were with her that night, is an employee at the Rosemont Hotel. It is reported that the friends were ‘staggering drunk’ at 4 a.m. when inside the hotel room. Kenneka would not have access or even know where the freezer is unless an employee provided someone with the information, or an employee themselves brought them there. Kenneka’s friends, Irma and Monifah, left the hotel in Kenneka’s car, with supposedly no knowledge of where Kenneka’s location is. Kenneka’s friends were on Facebook Live while at the hotel and the video is still available. Irene has since deleted her Facebook.
Kenneka’s family has been in distraught. Her mother has been taking it the worst. In the middle of the hardships is when hearts and minds become spark. What happened to Kenneka is absolutely heartbreaking. This young girl was sold out by her best friends. Money has manifested into an entity that eliminates dignity and values. This is the product of a system that has been exploiting black people for centuries. This is what happens when the people that white people exploit for money, receive the least amount of privilege in U.S. society. While Kenneka’s friends need to be held responsible, this is what happens when you’re left out of the melting pot. Kenneka’s life must be remembered and her death is unfortunately a reminder of the evils greed can bring. The moral of the story is not the Kenneka chose the wrong friends, it is the fact that she was raped and murdered and all those responsible need to be held accountable.
