A 39-year-old man, Derek Sink, was discovered dead on a tanning bed at a Planet Fitness gym in Indianapolis three days after entering the facility.
Sink’s family last heard from him on Friday, Nov. 8, and reported him missing on Sunday, Nov. 10. His body was found on Monday, Nov. 11, after gym members noticed a foul odor near the tanning rooms.
Elizabeth Len, a member of the gym, expressed concerns about the incident. “The tanning bed has a door, but why was no one alarmed that it was closed for three days?” she asked.
The gym, located on Hardegen Street, operates on limited hours over the weekend, according to its website, raising questions about end-of-day protocols.
Family members revealed that Sink was wearing an ankle monitor, which showed he never left the gym. A needle was reportedly found with his body, and relatives described him as a loving person battling drug addiction. They called for stricter safety policies at gyms, including routine end-of-day checks and cleanings, to prevent similar incidents.
Planet Fitness expressed condolences in a statement on Tuesday. “We were deeply saddened by the passing of one of our members. The franchise owner is cooperating fully with local authorities in their investigation,” said McCall Gosselin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office has yet to determine the cause and manner of Sink’s death.
This incident echoes a similar case nearly three months ago, when a Wells Fargo employee was found dead at her cubicle four days after she last clocked in, following reports of a bad smell in the office.
