Settlement reached in 2017 Rosemont hotel freezer death case, but amount undisclosed for now
The family of a Chicago teen found dead in a Rosemont hotel freezer in 2017 has settled a lawsuit against the hotel, its security company and a restaurant.
But attorneys are trying to keep the dollar amount confidential, citing the family's safety and privacy amid a highly publicized case.
Lawyers for Tereasa Martin, mother of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins, were in court this week to ask that the settlement document be kept under seal - or at least with the numbers redacted. Cook County Judge Thomas Cushing denied the request Tuesday, but allowed the attorneys to resubmit it by Friday, ahead of the next court date Oct. 11.
In a written motion filed in September, the family's attorneys noted the international attention and interest in the case on social media, blogs, podcasts and documentaries.
"The widespread publicity of this case, including uncontrolled speculation and social media commentary has resulted in various threats made against various individuals in the case," including the plaintiffs, defendants and witnesses, wrote attorneys Matthew Patterson and James Harrington IV.
"That due to public interest, and scrutiny, all parties are in agreement that the confidential terms, including settlement amounts, are in the best interest of all parties involved including the petitioner and the defendants," the attorneys wrote.
The settlement was reached Aug. 14, which followed three meetings led by a retired judge who served as facilitator, according to the court filing.
After the family filed suit in December 2018 and the ensuing yearslong discovery process, the case was finally set to go to trial Oct. 16.
The family originally sought $50 million in damages. The suit alleged negligence on the part of the defendants, who didn't secure the walk-in freezer, conduct a proper search when Jenkins went missing, or monitor or review security cameras.
Attorneys for the family, the hotel's parent company, security company Capital Security and Investigations, and Murray Bros. Caddyshack restaurant didn't respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
Jenkins' body was discovered by a Crowne Plaza Chicago-O'Hare hotel worker in an empty but operating 34-degree basement freezer on Sept. 10, 2017, about 21 hours after video surveillance showed her entering it. Jenkins had attended a crowded ninth floor hotel room party earlier on Sept. 9.
The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death accidental as a result of hypothermia, though officials noted alcohol and topiramate, a medication used to treat epilepsy and migraines, as contributing factors.
In addition to social media speculation and conspiracy theories, the case attracted protests outside the hotel in the days after Jenkins' death, with activists suggesting foul play was involved.
Rosemont's public safety department said they investigated all leads and theories, but also concluded the death was accidental.