Jennifer’s mother Darnell Donnerson, 57 years old and her brother Jason Hudson, who was just 29 were killed in the shootout and her 7 year old nephew Julian King was reported missing.
Jennifer Hudson was supposedly in Los Angeles and immediately flew to Chicago as she heard the news of a shooting where her mother and brother were killed. The police have released a warrant against a guy named William Balfour and are considering him as the primary suspect. This is the worst nightmare for anyone and my heart goes out for Hudson and I wish God gives her strength to deal with this loss!
The shooting took place just about 5 miles from Barack Obama’s place (he just creeps into the news somehow everytime). Jennifer Hudson is an Obama supporter and made this public in Denver, when she sang the National anthem for the Democratic convention in august.
The police have called this a “domestic incident”.
Hudson’s 7 year old nephew is missing after the shooting. His name according to some news web sites is Julian King. Lets all pray for his safety, I hope the innocent kid is safe.
“A missing child was possibly abducted from the scene and may be in the company of William Balfour, a suspect in [this] double homicide investigation,” the Chicago police said in a statement, adding that the suspect was “armed and dangerous”.
Crime rate in Chicago has never been out of news and with this incident at a celebrity’s place and close to where Obama lives will definitely spark the safety debate again.
Jennifer Hudson had tried moving her family out of South Side in Chicago, which is home to the largest black population in the US but her mother, brother and other family members refused.
Obama lives in Hyde Park, Chicago which is probably one of the posher areas of Chicago, whereas Hudson’s mother Darnell Donnerson and brother Jason Hudson lived in a grittier district called Englewood.
Jennifer Hudson’s mother’s and brother’s bodies were found next to each other at South Yale Avenue where a large crowd had gathered last night.
Jennifer Hudson, after being rejected from American Idol, went on to win an Oscar award for her performance in the Dreamgirls (musical, released 2006) and was a celebrity and role model for millions of Americans and an embodiment of the American Dream.
Last year, at an interview with Vogue magazine, Jennifer Hudson that her mother Darnell Donnerson was responsible to encourage her to participate in the TV show American Idol. On other occassions, Hudson had said that she was very close to her family.
“My faith in God and my family, they’re very realistic and very normal, they’re not into the whole limelight kind of thing.”
My deepest condolences for Jennifer. This is a tragic loss for her and I hope God gives her strength to deal with this, and I hope the culprit, whether it is William Balfour or anyone else, is brought to justice.
News UPDATE
William Balfour has been arrested by the police but not yet charged. He is the step father of Jennifer Hudson’s nephew Julian King (the abducted 7 year old boy) and fell apart from the Hudsons when he was asked to leave the family home last year. He has been convicted in the past for attempted murder and carjacking!
The police have found that Jennifer’s brother Mr Jason Hudson was shot when the shooter fired through the door. The shooter killed her mother Mrs Donerson after entering the house when Mrs Donerson entered the room where the attacker was.
New UPDATE 2
Friends of the family have claimed that William Balfour had threatened to take Julian King (the boy) away if Jennifer Hudson’s sister Julia Hudson didn’t stop “playing him”. The couple is said to be in a dispute over the ownership of Julia’s car.
NEWS UPDATE 3 – Jennifer Hudson Nephew Found – DEAD?
The police, in what is being widely believed, found the body of Julian King, Jennifer Hudson’s nephew in the same SUV that was on alert. The SUV belonged to her brother Jason Hudson. Jennifer Hudson had announced a prize money of 1 hundred thousand dollars for anyone who gave a tip about her nephew’s whereabouts.
This is very sad. Although the authorities haven’t ascertained that it is Julian King’s body, it is being widely believed that it is him. The hunt for the young boy has been stopped by Chicago police.
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10 replies on “Chicago News: Jennifer Hudson’s mom, brother killed. William Balfour in police custody, nephew’s body found!”
My prayers are for Jennifer Hudson at this bad time.
Rest in peace, Darnell and Jason. I hope the kid is ok. I think he might have been kidnapped for ransom, now that Hudson is super rich.
This is very sad. I still can’t believe it!
I’ve read in a news website that the boy Julian King has been indeed kidnapped for ransom. Whats this guy Balfour thinking? That he can kill people and get away with ransom?
Jennifer’s mother and brother might have even been involved in a fight. Not confirmed.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Jennifer, and remember God will never put more on you then you can bare. Jennifer keep your faith and believe that God is with you always. When a time come were you feel you are alone at that moment you must remember that God is with you by your side or he is carrying you because he promised he would never leave you. God bless you and your entire family though this trying time.
There is no pain that Jesus can’t fix and no hurt he can’t heal.
I’m praying for you and your family that God will mend your broken hearts. With love from a friend who cares.
Rest in peace to jennifer hudson’s mom, brother, and nephew i will keep you and your family in my prayers!!
My prays goes to Jennifer hudson’s family,may the soul rest in peace.God bless them and jennifer we love u.God bless u
Terrible terrible what has this world come to thank god he in jail for life
Hudson is believed to have fled after assaulting
his ex-wife in her home two days after their divorce was
finalized. ‘ According to a report from Strategy Informer on Nov.
What’s lacking in quantity is more than made up for in quality.