Jennifer Hudson Launches Foundation In Honor of Slain Family Members

Singer/Actress Jennifer Hudson announced the development of the Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims. The foundation is named after Hudson's mother Darnell Hudson Donnerson, brother Jason Hudson and nephew Julian King.

The foundation which will help families of murder victims comes just one week after Hudson and her sister Julia continue to deal with the murders of their three family members. "The specific purpose of the Foundation is to care for the needs of families who have lost relatives to a violent crime," the family said in a statement. "This encompasses their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter as well as grief counseling."

It has also been announced that a private funeral service will be held Monday at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago. Wednesday night a public prayer vigil was held at Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church, the church that Hudson and her family used to attend.



As the evidence leading to solving the triple murders unfolds Hudson has remained in seclusion only speaking out through a representative. Although no one has been charged in the case, authorities have recovered a .45 caliber gun found approximately one block from where Hudson's 7-year-old nephew's dead body was discovered. According to the Chicago Tribune, the weapon was sent to the Illinois State Police crime lab for testing. Bullets in the gun matched shell casings found at the house where Hudson's mother and brother were found murdered.

William Balfour, the 27-year-old brother-in-law of Hudson has been questioned as a "person of interest" in the case and is being held on parole violation. Balfour has also refused to take a polygraph test despite his claims of innocence.

Though a public service has not been confirmed, the family asks that donations be made to the Hudson-King foundation.