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The body of a 19-year-old Walmart employee was reportedly found inside a store’s walk-in oven. The discovery was reportedly made at a store located in Canada.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Saturday, October 26, to reflect the identity, photo, and additional details about the 19-year-old victim.
According to PEOPLE, on Saturday, October 19, Halifax Regional Police received a call around 9:30 a.m.
The call reported a “sudden death” at a Walmart on Mumford Road.
“A 19-year-old woman employed at the store was found deceased,” an initial news release from the department asserted.
Additionally, the police department noted that investigators were “working closely” with Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service to determine the employee’s cause and manner of death.
Furthermore, a subsequent news release revealed that the 19-year-old “was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the stores bakery department.”
In the updated release, authorities asserted that the investigation into this incident will be “complex” and involve “several partner agencies.”
“It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed,” the updated release reads. “The investigation is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time.”
Before concluding, the release urged the public to “be mindful of sharing speculative information on social media.” Furthermore, the release asked the public to be “aware” of the impact speculation could have on the victim’s family and loved ones.
Per PEOPLE, a Walmart spokesperson named Amanda Moss has issued a statement on behalf of the company.
“Our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family,” the statement reads. “Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need. As police have stated, this is a very complex matter, and the investigation is ongoing. Our store will be closed until further notice.”
According to the outlet, the spokesperson did not confirm whether the 19-year-old was on shift when she passed away.
Meanwhile, NBC News notes that Walmart is reportedly providing grief counseling to the location’s employees.
Per PEOPLE, the identity of the 19-year-old Walmart employee has since been confirmed as Gursimran Kaur. The outlet adds that her body was reportedly discovered by her mother. At this time, it reportedly remains unclear how Kaur entered the oven.
As the investigation continues, a GoFundMe has concluded its mission to raise over $140,000 for Kaur’s family.
“Gursimran and her mother both worked at Walmart for the last two years. In that evening, like any watchful mother who breathed for her child’s happiness, Gursimran’s mother tried to locate her after not seeing for one hour. She asked around, but everyone brushed aside thinking that she may be somewhere helping a customer, Walmart is a superstore after all!. Her phone was not reachable,” the campaign’s description reads. “Mother started panicking as it was unusual for her to switch her phone off during the day. She reached out to the onsite admin for help. As you all know now, her remains were found inside the walk in oven in the Bakery after a few hours. Imagine the horror that her mother experienced when she opened the oven, when someone pointed it out to her! Police are investigating the case so we can not share any more details…”
As The Shade Room previously reported, the body of a male Food Lion employee was discovered in the freezer of a North Carolina location in September. At the time, it was reported that the man’s co-workers found his body on the morning of September 10.
Subsequently, police reportedly asserted their belief that the man had suffered a medical emergency when he entered the freezer the night before.
At the time, Food Lion released a statement addressing the tragedy.
