Kenyan Nurse Found Dead in Minnesota Hours Before Twin Daughters' Graduation
Jessica Akersid Omoke, 51, was found dead in Maple Grove, Minnesota, on May 15, just hours before her twin daughters graduated with nursing degrees from the University of Minnesota. The mother of three, a respected nurse
Jessica Akersid Omoke's twin daughters, Rachel and Silvia, walked across the stage at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing on May 15 to collect their Bachelor of Science degrees — but their mother was not there to see it.
Hours earlier, police had found her body in Maple Grove, ending a desperate search that mobilized the Kenyan community across Minnesota and relatives back home. Jessica, 51, a registered nurse at Allina Health's Abbott Northwestern Hospital, was last seen on the afternoon of May 13 wearing dark navy scrubs in the 9300 block of Fernbrook Lane North. When she failed to return home and missed contact with her family — behavior colleagues and relatives described as unthinkable for a woman devoted to her three daughters — her husband, James Omoke, reported her missing to Crystal Police on May 14.
A Mother's Dream Cut Short
The Minnesota Kenyan community's three-day search for Jessica Akersid Omoke before her body was found in Maple Grove.
The graduation had been years in the making. Jessica had encouraged Rachel and Silvia through nursing school, mirroring her own journey as an immigrant healthcare professional. Friends and colleagues remembered her as a compassionate, highly skilled nurse whose leadership on the hospital floor saved lives. "She was the kind of person who lit up a room," said Dr. Lyna Nyamwaya, a family friend, in a tribute shared widely on social media. "Her daughters came home after receiving their degrees, hoping for good news. Instead, they received devastating news."
Jessica's youngest daughter, Keziah, now faces her own upcoming graduation without her mother by her side. The family has requested privacy as the Hennepin County Medical Examiner works to determine the cause of death. At the time of publication, authorities had not disclosed whether foul play was suspected.
A Community Demands Answers
The Twin Cities host one of the largest East African diaspora populations in North America, with an estimated 40,000 Kenyan professionals working in the US healthcare sector. Jessica's death has triggered urgent conversations about the structural safety nets available to immigrant workers far from home. "We are demanding total transparency," said a statement from Kenyan community leaders in Minnesota. "Jessica's loss represents not only a personal tragedy but the extinguishing of a vital lifeline for her extended family."
Diaspora remittances to Kenya reached $5.04 billion (KSh 650 billion) in 2025, underscoring the economic weight carried by nurses, caregivers, and other professionals like Jessica. For many families in Kenya, a single breadwinner abroad sustains entire networks — covering school fees, medical bills, and daily survival.
What Comes Next
The Crystal and Maple Grove police departments have thanked community volunteers and the local medical community for assisting in the search. The investigation remains active, with forensic analysis pending. A vigil for Jessica is being planned by the Minnesota Kenyan community, with details to be announced by the family.
For the Omoke family, the coming weeks will bring not celebration, but the painful task of repatriating Jessica's body to Kenya and navigating grief across two continents. "Death has robbed your children and husband of a devoted mother and wife," wrote one mourner. "May God grant you eternal peace and give us strength to carry this loss."
Reporting drawn from Tuko Kenya, Streamline Feed Kenya, Diaspora Messenger, The Kenyan Diaspora Media, Mshale, Tuko Kenya - Kenya Diaspora Remittances 2025.
