Household of Chicago girl who died in lodge freezer agrees to $10 million settlement

CHICAGO (AP) — The household of a Chicago girl who froze to demise after she turned locked in a lodge freezer has agreed to a $10 million authorized settlement.

Kenneka Jenkins’ mom, Tereasa Martin, will obtain about $3.7 million, in line with courtroom information made public Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune reported. Different members of the family will obtain $1.2 million and $1.5 million. One other $3.5 million will cowl legal professional charges, with $6,000 masking the price of Jenkins’ funeral.

Jenkins was discovered lifeless within the walk-in freezer on the Crowne Plaza Lodge in suburban Rosemont in September 2017, a day after she attended a celebration there. The Prepare dinner County medical expert’s workplace decided that she died of hypothermia and that her demise was unintended.

Alcohol intoxication and the usage of a drug for treating epilepsy and migraines have been “vital contributing components” in her demise, the workplace stated. Surveillance movies launched by police confirmed Jenkins wandering alone by means of a kitchen space close to the freezer at round 3:30 a.m. on the day she disappeared.

Martin filed a lawsuit in December 2018 alleging that the lodge, a safety firm and a restaurant on the lodge that rented the freezer have been negligent as a result of they didn’t safe the freezer or conduct a correct search following Jenkins’ disappearance. The lawsuit initially sought greater than $50 million in damages.

In response to the lawsuit, mates that Jenkins had attended the social gathering with alerted Martin at round 4 a.m. that she was lacking. Martin contacted the lodge and was informed it might assessment surveillance footage, in line with the lawsuit.

However Jenkins’ physique wasn’t found for greater than 21 hours after she was believed to have entered the freezer. Surveillance footage wasn’t reviewed till police arrived on the lodge, in line with the lawsuit. Had the lodge correctly monitored the safety cameras, Jenkins would nonetheless be alive, the lawsuit argued.