Late Hinsdale Firefighter's Family Warned Of Lawsuit Early On

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — The family of Nicole Hladik, a Hinsdale firefighter who took her own life in July 2020, started considering a lawsuit within hours of her death, according to a police report.

Her estate sued the village and Hladik's superior a year later, alleging she was the victim of discrimination based on sex. The 25-year-old was a graduate of Lyons Township High School.

Patch recently obtained the Downers Grove Police Department's 50-page report on Hladik's death.

On July 21, 2020, the day Hladik died, Hinsdale Fire Chief John Giannelli and a Downers Grove police officer met with two members of her family in the police station's conference room, according to the report.

Giannelli expressed his condolences and explained what happened. The family members became "very upset" and left the room, police said. One of them was found on the front bench of the police department weeping, warning the family would sue.

After Hladik's death, officers met with family at her apartment. A notebook was found on the living room table. Officers requested possession of it to compare the writing to a suicide note, according to a report from the DuPage County Coroner's Office.

The family said they wanted to keep the notebook "until legal action was determined civilly," the report said.

The day of Hladik's death, her husband, Daniel Zaborowski, noticed she was already out of the apartment when he woke up at 6 a.m. He told police he wasn't too concerned because he knew she had to work and likely had to be in early.

A couple of hours later, Hinsdale firefighters arrived at the apartment to ask why she was not at work, police said. Zaborowski then called Hinsdale police to report that his wife was missing.

About 9:30 a.m., Downers Grove police responded to Patriots Park, 601 55th Place. Officers noticed a strong, unknown type of chemical order coming from what turned out to be Hladik's car, according to the report.

A handwritten sign on the car indicated a poisonous gas was inside, the report said. It advised, "Do Not Open w/o PPE," referring to personal protective equipment. Her body was found inside.

The woman who called 911 said she warned families playing on the nearby playground to leave the area because of the gas inside the car.

Last week, Hladik's family members and their supporters spoke to the Village Board about their concerns with the village's separate investigation into how she was treated. Village President Tom Cauley defended it.

No trial date has been set in the lawsuit.