Police: Body Found In SUV Is Jennifer Hudson's Nephew

The body of a 7-year-old boy found in an SUV on the South Side of Chicago Monday morning has been identified as Julian King – the nephew of Jennifer Hudson and son of her sister, Julia, Chicago police officials announced on Monday afternoon.

Access Hollywood’s Tony Potts, who is on the scene in Chicago, reported it was Jennifer who identified the boy’s body.

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“She came in strong, very solemn,” a spokesperson for the Chicago Medical Examiner’s office told reporters. “Seven family members held hands and said a short prayer.”

Officials said Jennifer identified the body on a black-and-white TV screen in a room adjacent to where Julian’s body was held.

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Police would not confirm the cause of death during the press conference, which happened at 4 PM local time on Monday.

In addition, William Balfour “remains a person of interest,” police added. However, “no suspects have been named.”

Julian was found inside Jason Hudson’s white SUV in the 1300 block of S. Kolin Avenue on Chicago’s South Side at around 8 AM on Monday.

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Julian was discovered missing on Friday afternoon, as news broke that Jennifer’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason, had been shot and killed inside Donerson’s Chicago home.

Soon thereafter, an Amber Alert was issued for Julian and the FBI had been called in to assist in the search, according to reports.

At the time, authorities believed Julian might have been with his stepfather, William Balfour, who police were also seeking at the time. Authorities apprehended Balfour late Friday night, but the boy was not found with him.

On Sunday, Balfour was transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections due to parole violations, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Balfour has reportedly been on parole since 2006, after serving almost seven years in jail for convictions on attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and receiving stolen property.

Balfour’s transfer is reportedly unrelated to the murders or kidnapping investigation, and no charges have been filed against him.

The Sun-Times reported that Balfour was believed to be near the Hudson residence on the South Side of Chicago, where he reportedly once resided as well, at about 9 AM on Friday – when the neighbors reported hearing gunfire.

His mother, Michele Davis Balfour, defended her son for the second day in a row on Sunday, telling the Sun-Times that she did not believe he was involved in the killings.

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