Further details have emerged regarding the teenage Walmart worker who sadly died inside a walk-in oven.
As previously reported, the employee at a Walmart store in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was found dead inside a walk-in bakery oven, prompting an ongoing investigation by local authorities.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday night, was confirmed by Halifax Regional Police on Tuesday, who described the case as "complex."
The deceased has since been identified as 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur.
In an alarming update, it has also been revealed that Kaur was discovered inside the oven by her own mother, per the New York Post.
Kaur and her mother had worked together at the Halifax Walmart for the past two years.
According to a GoFundMe page set up for the family, Kaur's mother found her daughter's “charred remains” inside the bakery department’s large oven on Saturday night.
The mother became concerned when she hadn’t heard from her daughter for over an hour during their shift, something that was unusual for Kaur, who would regularly check in.
Co-workers initially thought Kaur was assisting a customer in the large store, but her mother grew increasingly worried when Kaur stopped answering her phone.
The situation escalated when another staff member noticed "leakage" from the area near the oven. Kaur’s mother, in a frantic search, opened the oven door and discovered the horrifying scene.
“Imagine the horror that her mother experienced, who herself opened the oven,” a family spokesperson wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Local authorities, including the Halifax Regional Police, are still investigating the nature of Kaur’s death. It is unclear if foul play is suspected at this time.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Constable Martin Cromwell of the Halifax Regional Police told The New York Post on Thursday.
He added that police are working closely with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Kaur, a member of Halifax’s Sikh community, had moved to Canada only a few years ago. Her father and brother, who remain in India, are working to travel to Canada, according to the fundraiser.
Satnam Singh Randhawa, chair of the Maritime Sikh Society, expressed the community’s deep sorrow over the loss.
"It’s pretty distressing... young people come here with hopes and dreams, working hard, and then this is what happens," Randhawa told CBC News.
As the investigation continues, the Walmart store remains closed. A Walmart spokesperson confirmed the closure, adding that it would stay shut until further notice.
“We are heartbroken, and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family,” Walmart representative Amanda Moss said in a statement via CBC News.
“Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need.”
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