#Roommates, it looks we may have some answers as to what exactly happened to 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins, who was found dead in a walk-in freezer Sept. 10 at Crowne Plaza hotel in Rosemont. Chicago Cook medical examiners are saying that her death was an accident and that intoxication from alcohol and medication played a role, according to CBS news.
She died from hypothermia after being trapped in the freezer for so long. Toxicology tests revealed alcohol and topiramate, an epilepsy/migraine medication, in the her system. Kenneka’s blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.112. The legal number for motorists in Illinois is 0.08, according to the coroners office.
Her family reportedly told investigators that she didn’t have a prescription for the topiramate medication. The corner said the amount she had in her system was was in the “therapeutic range.”
“Alcohol and topiramate are synergistic. When combined, the effect of either or both drugs is enhanced. Topiramate, like alcohol, can cause dizziness, impaired memory, impaired concentration, poor coordination, confusion and impaired judgment,” the news release said. “Central nervous system depression, or impairment, combined with cold exposure can hasten the onset of hypothermia and death.”
