Woman charged after overdose death of man whose body was found in Planet Fitness tanning bed
Police in Indiana have arrested a woman for her alleged role in the overdose death of a 39-year-old man whose body was found inside a tanning bed three days after he entered a Planet Fitness gym.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) said in a news release that Heather Bradford, 41, was arrested and charged with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, narcotics possession and for having two active warrants in Morgan County, Indiana.
Police responded to Planet Fitness just before 8:30 a.m. Nov. 11 after receiving a report that a body had been discovered in the gym.
The Marion County Coroner's Office identified the man as Derek Sink. According to police records obtained by 13 News, Sink's family last had contact with him Nov. 8 and reported him missing Nov. 10.
MAN FOUND DEAD IN TANNING BED AT PLANET FITNESS IN INDIANAPOLIS 3 DAYS AFTER HE WALKED INTO THE GYM
Sink was pronounced dead at the gym, police said Tuesday, and the coroner's office determined his cause of death to be a drug overdose.
The IMPD Overdose Death Task Force (ODTF) took over the case, and, through a variety of investigative techniques, detectives identified Bradford as a suspect in Sink's death.
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The next day, Bradford was located at a gas station in Mooresville, Indiana, where she was taken into custody without incident by ODTF Investigators along with Indiana State Police and members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"These are extremely challenging and emotionally heavy investigations, but they are vital in our effort to combat the ongoing overdose epidemic," IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said. "Each arrest represents months of work, cross-agency coordination, and a deep commitment to seeking justice for families who've lost loved ones."
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Planet Fitness released a statement after Sink's body was discovered in one of its gyms.
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"At Planet Fitness, we have robust operational brand protocols in place, as the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority," McCall Gosselin, chief corporate affairs officer at Planet Fitness, said in a statement. "We are working closely with our local franchisee to ensure they are upholding those brand protocols."
Gosselin added that the franchise owner was working with local authorities in the investigation.
Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
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These public health strategies could work in tandem to help decrease alcohol drinking rates in the United States. Alcohol and smoking are very similar social activities that for years were depicted as stylish and cool in movies and on TV. Then smoking ads were banned on TV through the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1970. During the 1970s, cigarette companies shifted their advertising from TV to print. So, it would be important in the future to ban alcohol ads from all media and printed marketing. As highlighted by the World Health Organization, advertising bans and restrictions were helpful in Nordic countries with decreasing the per-capita drinking amount. Finally, physicians should screen patients for heavy alcohol consumption using the validated AUDIT- C questionnaire and biomarkers such as phosphatidyl ethanol. When needed, Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar 12-step program can be offered to patients who drink heavily to reduce alcohol consumption. 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