Crime & Safety

Chicago Woman's Body Found In Burr Ridge Gym Bathroom 2 Days After She Died; Son Wants Answers

Patricia Austin, 78, of Chicago was found dead in a handicap stall at Lifetime Fitness in Burr Ridge one or two days after she died.

BURR RIDGE, IL — A son is demanding answers after his mother was found dead in a bathroom at a gym in Burr Ridge. Patricia Austin, 78, of Chicago, went to work out at Lifetime Fitness at around 7 p.m. on July 12. Two days later, an employee found her dead in a handicap accessible bathroom stall.

One of the first questions Austin's son Terrence asked his attorney, Mark Novak, was whether or not his mother's life might have been saved if someone had found her earlier, Novak said during a press conference Wednesday. Hoping to find an explanation for the baffling delay in discovering his mother's body, Terrence filed a petition seeking records that could shed light on why the discovery of her remains was delayed.

Terrence has requested detailed maintenance records and a log of other gym members who attended during the two-day period when Austin arrived at Lifetime Fitness and when she was found dead, according to a statement by Anesi Ozmon, the law firm that is representing him.

Find out what's happening in Burr Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Terrence was visibly shaken during the Wednesday press conference as he talked about his mother's death. "There has to be some kind of accountability or some reason why this happened," he said.

Novak said that when Austin first saw his mother's body, he noticed that both of her legs and one of her arms were "deep purple in color."

Find out what's happening in Burr Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After an autopsy, a funeral home employee later told Terrence that Austin had been dead "for at least a day or two" before her body was found, Novak said during the press conference.

According to Novak, a spokesperson for Lifetime Fitness said staff members thought there was a problem with the stall and that it was out of order. When Burr Ridge Police investigated the scene, they saw no sign indicating the stall was out of order, Novak said. Lifetime Fitness also told police that cameras outside the ladies room were not functioning on the night Austin entered the locker room.

Lifetime Fitness bills itself as a 24-hour gym, but the gym prohibits member access between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Novak questioned how it was possible to miss someone in the bathroom. "How do you not say to yourselves, 'Wait; we missed somebody. Somebody's still in the club.'"

In a statement, Lifetime Fitness said:

"We are terribly saddened by this tragedy and continue to have our heartfelt thoughts and prayers with the family. As a large facility with several thousand members visiting daily, it is not uncommon for bathroom stalls to be occupied as staff conducts their cleaning protocol. Out of respect for members, cleaning staff do not disturb individuals in occupied stalls. Moreover, cleaning staff rotates throughout the course of the day with responsibility for cleaning varying as shift changes occur. Finally, during the club’s brief closure period each day, it is not uncommon for members to be completing their workouts and using bathroom facilities before departing, or for our staff members to be using the same bathroom facilities."

Autopsy results indicate that Austin died of natural causes related to cardiovascular issues. Terrence is not seeking restitution for the incident, according to Novak. For the time being, he just wants some answers.

>>Image via Pixabay


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Burr Ridge