- If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, call the National Suicide Hotline at 988
The cause of death of a North Carolina woman who was found “entangled” in a baggage claim area at Chicago’s O’Hare airport has been revealed.
The death of Virginia Christine Vinton, 57, of Waxhaw, was ruled a suicide by the Cook County coroner on Friday.
She died of asphyxiation by hanging, a spokesman said The Chicago Tribune.
The 57-year-old was found in a restricted area in Terminal 5 shortly before 8am on Thursday. She was unconscious and ‘entangled’ in the conveyor belt.
Surveillance footage shows the woman entering the deserted area around 2:30 a.m., five hours before her body was found.
Vinton was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not an airport employee.
The death of Virginia Christine Vinton, 57, of Waxhaw, was ruled a suicide by the Cook County coroner’s office on Friday (Photo: Chicago O’Hare)
The 57-year-old was found shortly before 8am on Thursday in a restricted area in Terminal 5, where she was found unconscious and ‘entangled’ in the conveyor belt
Authorities said the area of the airport where the woman entered is employee-only and is considered safe, but not a high-security area, ABC 7 reported.
This section of the international terminal is filled with conveyor belts that move luggage to and from aircraft. Bags in this area also go through customs.
The terminal is used by Delta Airlines and international airlines.
DailyMail.com has contacted the family for comment.
Last month, passengers were stuck on a “shaking” plane at O’Hare after ground and air traffic control were evacuated due to multiple tornado warnings.
Courtney Mares, a journalist for the Catholic News Agency who covered the video on the plane, said, “Our plane is now sitting on the runway at Chicago O’Hare, while everyone’s phones have multiple tornado warnings.
“The captain announced that air traffic control and ground control have been evacuated,” she continued. “The plane is shaking because it is being blown back and forth by the wind.”
On July 15, the National Weather Service recorded as many as ten simultaneous tornadoes in the Windy City metropolitan area, one of which tore toward the international airport.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts or actions of suicide, call the National Suicide Hotline on 988.