CHICAGO- A viral video circulating on Facebook shows a woman, identified by multiple residents as the mother of the late Kenneka Jenkins, walking unclothed near Ashland and 82nd street, prompting widespread concern online.
This distressing incident involving the family comes years after the tragic and heavily publicized death of Kenneka Jenkins in 2017, a 19-year-old from Chicago who was found dead inside a latched freezer of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, after attending a party at the hotel the previous day.
In the two-streamed Facebook videos, onlookers were captured pleading with Martin, repeatedly warning her that it was too cold to remain outside exposed and begging her to put on clothes as Martin refused and asked onlookers to leave her alone.
The initial Facebook Live, streamed from a private account, included a caption indicating that the user had alerted authorities, stating clearly: “I called EMS and The Police!”
Intervention was documented shortly after, as a second recorded live stream captured the arrival of emergency services, showing an ambulance pulling up behind Martin near Ashland and 84th Street.
While sources have indicated that another video exists depicting Martin clothed in a gown or robe while with EMS, WTW has not been able to independently verify or locate this footage at the time of publication.
WTW will not be sharing the explicit video content. The decision was made to ensure community awareness is spread through verified updates, while maintaining respect for the privacy of all involved parties.
This public crisis occurred just weeks after Martin shared an emotional post on Facebook on November 22nd. In the post, she alleged that she remains unaware of the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s passing and has been denied access to her daughter’s personal belongings since her death. Martin further claimed she had been prevented from speaking publicly about her daughter for years.
The recent commentary follows the highly publicized legal battle; in 2023, Kenneka Jenkins’ family received a total of $6.4 million in a settled agreement over her death in the Chicago-area hotel freezer.
Harris Leonore, Teressa Martin’s living daughter, responded to the publicized events on Facebook, offering a heartfelt defense of her mother and asserting her unconditional love and support for her during this difficult time, stating, “I will always love and support her. She’s all my kids, and I have ever had. God, I know you’re going to heal her.”
The latest footage underscores the continued public and private struggle of the Martin family years after the death of Kenneka Jenkins, and as this deeply personal crisis remains a topic of public concern, WTW will continue to monitor the situation and provide verified updates on Teressa Martin’s well-being.
