A man was found dead inside a Planet Fitness tanning bed three days after he went missing.
Derek Sink, 39, was discovered inside the machine at the Planet Fitness on Hardegan Street in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday around 9am.
His family told police that they last heard from him on Friday before reporting him missing on Sunday.
They told WTHR that a needle was found inside the tanning room with Sink, who has struggled with drugs in the past.
Sink’s aunt said that investigators were able to track him to the gym through his ankle monitor. It is unclear why he had the device on him.
A sign was placed on the front door as of Monday that says ‘tanning is currently unavailable.’
Derek Sink, 39, was found inside a tanning bed at a Planet Fitness in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday around 9am. His family last saw him Friday and reported him missing on Sunday
His family said a needle was found inside the room with him, and that Sink has struggled with drug use
A gym member, Elizabeth Len, recalled being greeted by a foul smell when she entered the building for her morning workout Monday.
‘And I was kind of like sniffing, trying not to look crazy, but I was like, “Something smells really awful here”,’ Len told WTHR, adding that the smell grew stronger as she neared the tanning rooms.
Len expressed concern as Sink’s body was found on Monday, despite the gym being open from 7am to 7pm over the weekend.
‘The first thing that kind of went off in my head was you know, lack of attention from staff members at Planet Fitness, which is pretty disappointing because maybe it could’ve been prevented,’ she said.
‘The tanning bed has a door, I believe, but still, why are we not concerned that the tanning bed has been closed for three days, potentially?’
Sink’s loved ones have remembered him as a loving person.
Following his tragic passing, a friend took to Facebook and said: ‘God bless you my friend.’
A gym member, Elizabeth Len, recalled being greeted by a foul smell when she entered the building for her morning workout Monday. She also questioned why it took so long for staffers to find Sink
The family also told the outlet that they hope the company will instill stricter cleaning policies at the end of shifts so staffers can prevent this from ever happening again.
A spokesperson with Planet Fitness told DailyMail.com: ‘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.
‘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.’
His cause of death has not yet been determined. Police are currently investigating his death as a homicide.
DailyMail.com contacted the Indianapolis Metropolitan police Department.