Family Mourns After Man Dies in Planet Fitness Tanning Booth

The body of Derek Sink, a 39-year-old Indianapolis man, was discovered on Monday, November 11, inside a tanning bed at a Planet Fitness gym on Indianapolis’s south side. According to Sink’s family, he had entered the tanning booth on Friday but did not reemerge, raising serious questions about gym protocols and safety procedures. His family reported him missing after noticing his absence, and his ankle monitor reportedly showed that he never left the gym.

Planet Fitness responded to the incident, expressing condolences and affirming their cooperation with the authorities’ ongoing investigation. “The safety and well-being of our members is our top priority,” said McCall Gosselin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Planet Fitness, in a public statement. The gym is working closely with local authorities to understand the circumstances surrounding Sink’s death and to ensure compliance with safety protocols.

Sources indicate that a needle was found in the tanning room with Sink, but the official cause of death remains unconfirmed, pending  further examination by the Marion County Coroner’s Office​.

The grim discovery was reported by gym members, who noted an unusual odor coming from the tanning area over the weekend. This has led to heightened public scrutiny of gym procedures, with some questioning the adequacy of end-of-day checks at fitness centers. Sink’s family has called for stricter regulations on daily maintenance and safety checks to prevent future tragedies.

Authorities continue to investigate, and Sink’s family hopes that lessons from this incident will drive improved safety practices at gyms nationwide.