Current:Home > NewsMother of Man Found Dead in Tanning Bed at Planet Fitness Gym Details His Final Moments -CapitalEdge
Mother of Man Found Dead in Tanning Bed at Planet Fitness Gym Details His Final Moments
View
Date:2025-04-15 16:04:13
More has come to light about Derek Sink's death.
Three days after his body was found in a tanning bed at a Planet Fitness gym in Indianapolis, his mother shared more insight into the harrowing incident.
Karen Wetzel believes that her son's toxicology report will come back with fentanyl in his system, she told People in an interview published Nov. 13. She emphasized that despite Sink's history with drug addiction (a syringe was found in the room with him, according to his family), he was "a human being with value and worth."
She recalled the 39-year-old as "the kindest person" with "the softest heart," per the outlet.
Karen explained that Sink—who was charged with possession of a narcotic drug and possession of a controlled substance last year, according to Marion County Superior Court records, per NBC News—had gone to sign up for a gym membership on Nov. 8 while his girlfriend Heather and her daughter were in a TJMaxx nearby.
The pair went to find Sink—who was wearing an ankle monitor as part of his plea agreement, along with drug testing—but went home after being unable to locate him. They reported him missing on Nov. 10 and his probation officer found his body the day after when she went to his last known location.
Although it took days to locate Sink's body, a local woman who was visiting the facility revealed that she noticed a putrid smell near the tanning beds after entering the building.
"The tanning bed has a door, I believe," Elizabeth Len told WTHR in an interview published Nov. 12. "But still, why are we not concerned that the tanning bed has been closed for three days, potentially?"
After Sink's body was discovered, Planet Fitness expressed their condolences and emphasized the dedication to safety in their facilities.
"We were deeply saddened by the passing of one of our members, and the franchise owner is working with the local authorities in their investigation," McCall Gosselin, Planet Fitness' chief corporate affairs officer, said in a Nov. 12 statement to E! News. "At Planet Fitness, we have robust operational brand protocols in place, as the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority. We are working closely with our local franchisee to ensure they are upholding those brand protocols."
(E! News and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (36)
Related
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- 2024 Paris Olympic village: Cardboard beds, free food and more as Olympians share videos
- Darryl Joel Dorfman: Leading Financial Technology Innovation
- New credit-building products are gaming the system in a bad way, experts say
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Former US Army civilian employee sentenced to 15 years for stealing nearly $109 million
- Terrell Davis' lawyer releases video of United plane handcuffing incident, announces plans to sue airline
- Biles, Richardson, Osaka comebacks ‘bigger than them.’ They highlight issues facing Black women
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats causes 2 deaths. Here's what to know about symptoms.
Ranking
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- New owner nears purchase of Red Lobster after chain announced bankruptcy and closures
- Tesla’s 2Q profit falls 45% to $1.48 billion as sales drop despite price cuts and low-interest loans
- Microsoft outage sends workers into a frenzy on social media: 'Knock Teams out'
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Chinese swimmers saga and other big doping questions entering 2024 Paris Olympics
- Police investigate death of Autumn Oxley, Virginia woman featured on ’16 and Pregnant’
- China says longtime rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah sign pact to end rift, propose unity government
Recommendation
US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
Stock market today: Asian stocks fall after a torrent of profit reports leaves Wall Street mixed
Tesla’s 2Q profit falls 45% to $1.48 billion as sales drop despite price cuts and low-interest loans
Trump expected to turn his full focus on Harris at first rally since Biden’s exit from 2024 race
Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
WNBA All-Star Game has record 3.44 million viewers, the league’s 3rd most watched event ever
Gunman opens fire in Croatia nursing home, killing 6 and wounding six, with most victims in their 90s
Massachusetts issues tighter restrictions on access to homeless shelter system