Why Did Kenneth Keith Kallenbach Die?: A Philadelphia Magazine Exclusive
In an exclusive piece to be published in its August issue and posted on its web site today, Philadelphia magazine raises questions about the death of former Howard Stern Wack Pack member Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, who passed away in April.
The piece, by staff writer Dan P. Lee, says that Kallenbach, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, may have been mistreated while he was incarcerated at Delaware County Prison, where he was being held after allegedly trying to lure a teenage girl into his car. In conversations with his mother, Fay Kallenbach, Kenneth Keith complained that he wasn’t being fed enough and wasn’t receiving his cystic fibrosis medication appropriately from prison officials. As his condition worsened — his weight eventually dropped to less than 100 pounds — he pleaded with his mother to get him released. “Please, Mom,” he said, “get me out any way you can. I don’t think I’m going to make it out of here.”
On April 21st, Fay Kallenbach says she spoke with a prison doctor, who asked how old Kenneth Keith was. She said 39. “That’s a long time for someone with CF to live,” she says the doctor told her.
Kenneth Keith Kallenbach was transferred to Riddle Memorial Hospital on April 23rd. He died the next day. “They executed him,” says his girlfriend, Danielle Shutz.
In the story, Fay Kallenbach also says her son told her that police officers mocked him when he was arrested at the family’s house in March. “Let’s see if Howard Stern can get you out of this one,” one officer muttered, according to Kallenbach.
The piece also raises questions about why the Delaware County medical examiner initially declined to conduct an autopsy. The story quotes high-profile forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht: “As far as I’m concerned, there’s just no question at all that every jail death — I don’t give a shit if a guy’s had cancer for 35 years — that an autopsy must be done. It’s like wiping your ass when you go to the bathroom.” An autopsy eventually was performed.
Read the complete piece.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
CHILD ABDUCTOR, WONDERFUL! HOWARD STERN SURE CAN PICK ‘EM
July 19th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
he was never a stern wack-pack member. he was just an idiot caller desperate for attention who managed to get on the show a few times 15 years ago. he had nothing to offer and faded away. then, he was so desperate to get back on the show that he had to cut off his hair & eat just to get another appearence - and that was well over 10 years ago.
this is way more press than this moron nobody deserves.
July 27th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
You call yourself ‘truth’ but you wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you on the cheek, you anonymous jealous loser. Ken did not commit child abduction, and was a wack pack member for 18 years, acknowledged as such by Howard in his books and videos and on the Stern show hundreds of times. You are a dumb lying creep, didn’t you read the article? Everything you have posted about Ken is a lie, you stupid coward–go hide in a corner and read your Harry Potter books and pretend you’re a wizard.