There isn't a clear answer on what happened to Kenneka Jenkins —the 19-year-old who was found dead in a walk-in freezer at a Chicago-area hotel Sept. 10 — but an ugly trend has already emerged. Some are participating in the controversial “Irene Challenge.”

Jenkins’ death arguably went viral because of the video her friend, Irene Roberts, took the night she died. It showed her singing to music in Crown Plaza Hotel room and turning up the music when Jenkins allegedly said, “Help me.” She had red hair and mirrored sunglasses, which led some people to impersonate her looks and accent. As a result, they dubbed it the “Irene Challenge.”

While some people tweeted the impersonation was funny, others said it was in bad taste. Some of their reactions have been posted below:

A memorial was held for Jenkins Saturday. Dozens gathered to release white and purple balloons, the Chicago Tribune reported the same day.

Police claimed Jenkins walked into the freezer on her own accord, saying she was drunk. But the explanation didn’t sit well with Jenkins’ mother, Tereasa Martin. Investigators released some of the surveillance video filmed at the hotel, which showed Jenkins stumbling around the ninth floor kitchen by herself, but they didn’t release it in its entirety.

Activists threatened to protest outside the Crowne Plaza hotel if they didn’t release the “full” video. They want the FBI involved. “We're here at the FBI building asking for a second look,” activist Mark Carter told reporters while standing outside the FBI office on the Near West Side.

Martin wanted to FBI to get involved because she said the timeline of events didn’t add up. “I'm not a professional, but the FBI, from what I heard, they are professionals,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “I'm just looking for help — that's all I've been asking for since day one.”

The footage they were shown did not show Jenkins walking into the freezer. “Despite requests for all evidence, we have received only snippets of video, none of which shows Kenneka Jenkins walking into a freezer,” the statement from family attorney Larry Rogers, Jr. said Friday. “The family has not been provided any video or other evidence of Kenneka Jenkins walking into a freezer.” Rogers added: “Serious questions remain as to how she ended up in a Crowne Plaza Hotel freezer and why it took a day and a half for the hotel to find Kenneka.”

Amid calls for the FBI to get involved in the case, the Rosemont Public Safety Department officials released a statement Monday. Their full statement was provided below, courtesy of WGN-TV.

“I would like to respond to the inquiries surrounding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intervening with the death investigation of Kenneka Jenkins.

“At this time, the death investigation of Kenneka Jenkins will remain in the hands of the Rosemont Public Safety Department. This investigation has been and remains the utmost priority for us. Throughout this investigation we have used any and all outside agencies necessary to complete a thorough investigation and will continue to do so as needed. As with any investigation, we have resources and assistance available from the local, county, state, and federal level.

“I am fully confident in the ability of each and every one of the officers, detectives, and leadership team charged with this case. At no time have I doubted the work that is being done.”

Amateur sleuths claimed to know various different reasons — and ways — Jenkins died. One popular conspiracy theory was that her friends allowed Jenkins to be raped and killed for $200. Another unverified explanation was that the hotel was involved in an organ trafficking ring, which is allegedly why she was found in the freezer.

None of these accusations have been substantiated by police.

Jenkins’ death is not being investigated as a homicide.

Roberts was not named as a suspect.

An autopsy report for Jenkins’ cause of death was still pending at the time this article was written.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella

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