A fundraiser launched by the Maritime Sikh Society in Halifax, Nova Scotia is offering more harrowing details about the 19-year-old woman found dead inside the Walmart bakery’s walk-in oven.
The GoFundMe, which has already raised more than $100,000 (more than twice its goal), identifies the apparent victim as Gursimran Kaur and reveals that her mother, who was also an employee at Walmart alongside her daughter for the past two years, is purportedly the one who found her.
“Imagine the horror that her mother experienced who herself opened the oven,” the post states.
“Both, Gursimran’s father and brother are in India and we are trying to get them here as soon as possible,” the GoFundMe post reads. “Both, Gursimran’s father and brother are in India and we are trying to get them here as soon as possible.”
Audio of the police response to the incident was detailed by The Daily Mail, with the dispatch officer describing the situation as a “female locked in an oven in the bakery” and the “oven is on.” Sources subsequently told CBC News that the appliance at the store “did not lock.”
Police continue to urge people to be wary of speculation amid the ongoing investigation.
While the store remains closed, The Daily Mail also reports that staff scheduled to work this week will still be paid.
Police are investigating a tragic accident after a 19-year-old Walmart employee was found dead at 9:30 p.m. Saturday night.
“The woman, who was an employee of the store, was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store’s bakery department,” said Halifax Regional Police in Nova Scotia, Canada in a press releaseposted October 22 to their Facebook page.
They additionally reported that the investigation into the “sudden death” incident that happened at the retail giant is ongoing. According to the report, police have not yet determined a “cause and manner of death,” so it is uncertain if a crime has been committed, or if this is just a tragic accident.
“The investigation is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time,” the department reported in their statement.
They urged the public “to be mindful of sharing speculative information on social media,” to be aware of how speculation can impact loved ones of the deceased. The identity of the deceased has not been revealed.
In a previous release, investigators with the Halifax Regional Police announced they are working with Occupational Health and Safety, and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service in their determination to learn more about how this happened.
Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss told People on October 23 that staff at the store are “heartbroken.” She went on to add, “Our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. 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.”
She also announced that the Walmart store where the incident occurred would be “closed until further notice.” The spokesperson declined to say if the associate was “on shift when she died,” per The Canadian Press. The company is offering on-site support, including grief counseling, as well as virtual care to employees.
The Novia Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration reported that it had issued a stop-work order on Tuesday for the bakery and one piece of equipment at the store, reiterating that workplace investigations “are complex and can take time.”
Speaking with the CBC, Satnam Sing Randhawa, chair of the Maritime Sikh Society board, confirmed that the employee was a member of the Sikh community. “It’s pretty distressing, you know, young people come here with all kinds of hopes and dreams and they’re working hard and then this is what happens,” he said.
The organization additionally told the outlet that they have been in contact with the young woman’s mother, sharing that the two were originally from India and had moved to Canada two to three years ago.
