The cause of death for a 57-year-old North Carolina woman who died at O'Hare International Airport Thursday after becoming "entangled" in the baggage conveyor belt system has been revealed, officials said.
According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office, the woman's cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging, with authorities concluding she died by suicide.
The woman was identified by the CCMEO earlier Friday as Virginia Christine Vinton, of Waxhaw, North Carolina.
The incident took place early Thursday morning near Terminal 5 at O'Hare, the Chicago Fire Department said. Terminal 5 serves Delta Airlines as well as a number of international carriers.
According to police, surveillance video at 2:27 a.m. showed a woman entering an unoccupied and restricted area of the Terminal.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., the woman, who was unresponsive, was discovered and the Chicago Fire Department was called to the scene.
CFD officials initially said the call reported a person was trapped in machinery at Terminal 5. Chicago fire officials later said the woman had become "entangled" in the conveyor belt system used to transport baggage.
The woman was pronounced dead on the scene, officials said.
According to Chicago police, a death investigation was underway.
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The Occupational Health & Safety Administration confirmed to NBC Chicago that they were not involved in the death investigation, saying the woman who died was a member of the public and not an employee or a contracted employee of an airline or the airport.
No further details surrounding the circumstances were provided.
