Jennifer Hudson Opens Up About Slain Mother

Jennifer Hudson

Seven months after the brutal murder of her mother, brother and nephew, Jennifer Hudson is opening up about the tragedy.

In an interview with Essence magazine, the Oscar winner and “American Idol” alum says she “was always a mama’s baby.”

“I’d go and sleep in her bed until I was 15 years old,” she said.

Last October, Hudson's brother-in-law William Balfour allegedly shot the entertainer’s mother, Darnell Donerson; her brother Jason Hudson; and her 7-year-old nephew, Julian King.

But Hudson has found strength during a tragic time in her fiancé, Harvard-educated-lawyer-turned-pro-wrestler David Otunga.

Just one month before the murders, Otunga received Donerson’s blessing for Hudson’s hand in marriage.

“In this time when things seem so uncertain for her, there is certainty in our bond,” Otunga said. “She doesn’t have to worry about losing me. I’m always going to be right here.”

Otunga added that he and Hudson don't talk about the incident.

But the star has high hopes for the future and has put her focus on her work — she is currently promoting her debut album and touring with Robin Thicke. She also said she relies heavily on her faith.

“The thing that keeps me going is knowing that God is in control,” she says. “It’s like, if he placed me here, then I must be prepared.”