Woman dies after injecting hot beef fat into her face

A Homewood woman died on Thursday after apparently injecting heated beef fat into her face at her south suburban home. Janet Hardt, 63, was pronounced dead at 6:25 p.m. at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

A source said shortly before Hardt died she injected heated beef fat into her face around her mouth and chin, which she had done before on several occasions. Hardt went to the hospital after complaining that her face became singed and felt like it was burning, according to the source.



She has previously undergone multiple facial surgeries, the source said. An autopsy to determine the cause and manner of her death is scheduled for later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Homewood spokeswoman Rachael Jones would not confirm or deny the medial examiner’s office reports and said police were waiting for the results of the autopsy before releasing any information.