Body found in washroom wall of Core mall ruled accidental death
Calgary police say the death of a man whose body was found inside the wall of a washroom in the Core Shopping Centre on Monday was an accident.
Investigators determined the man, in his 20s, entered the fourthfloor women’s washroom alone last Friday evening. Once inside the washroom, he then climbed on top of a pony wall directly behind the toilets and removed a vent cover on top of the wall.
Based on evidence at the scene, police believe the man then climbed inside the pony wall through the vent opening, where he became stuck and later died.
Police say his motivation for crawling inside the wall is unknown.
The man’s identity was not released by police, who notified his family on Wednesday following the completion of an autopsy.
Investigators have ruled out foul play in the man’s death.
The pony wall is used to hide utilities, according to police. It is more than two metres tall and is not connected to the ceiling, nor does it have any other access points.
Police said no further information could be released due to the man’s death being considered accidental.
The body was found Monday morning after a worker was called to fix a toilet that wouldn’t flush in the washroom, on the fourth floor in the mall’s food court.
When the worker removed a panel attached to a wall behind the toilet, he discovered the body, according to police.
A spokesperson for the shopping centre previously confirmed the worker is a Core employee. The downtown mall has offered him counselling services and time off “to deal with whatever he may be going through.”
The worker was called to fix the toilet about 9:30 a.m. Monday. The women’s washroom remained closed until after 3 p.m., when the body, contained in a body bag, was wheeled out on a gurney.
Until about two hours earlier, the corner of the food court where the washrooms are located remained open to the public, as did the surrounding restaurants. The men’s washroom also remained open as mall security guarded the taped-off women’s washroom entrance.
That section of the food court was cordoned off entirely around 1 p.m. and the public was asked to move back until the body was removed.