Lawsuit Settled in Indiana YMCA Death

An Indiana woman whose husband died after he was found unconscious inside a sauna has reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed against the Lafayette Family YMCA.

Berma L. Johnson sued the YMCA for unspecified damages, alleging that it failed to properly supervise the sauna and that employees might have removed or modified the sauna’s timers.

Her attorney Jeff Cooke said Johnson recently accepted a payment from the YMCA’s insurance provider. He declined to reveal the amount of the settlement.

Johnson’s husband, 61-year-old James Johnson, died Jan. 21, 2007, at a Lafayette hospital two days after he was found in the sauna.

Lafayette Family YMCA chief executive Paul Kramer says their insurance company found no problems with the sauna.

Information from: Journal and Courier, www.jconline.com