A 32-year-old mother of two was found dead in a walk-in freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami, Florida. Dr Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, an anaesthesiologist from Nicaragua, had visited the shop the day before but did not purchase anything. Her naked body was discovered by an employee at around 8am on 14 December.
A toxicology report revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.11%, above the legal driving limit in the US. The cause of death was ruled as environmental hypothermia with ethanol as a contributory cause. Police said there was no evidence of foul play, and footage showed she entered the freezer of her own accord.
The family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against Dollar Tree and the store manager, alleging failure to protect shoppers from foreseeable risks. The lawsuit claims the manager did not take reasonable action to locate or assist Sanchez despite being aware she was missing. Police confirmed the freezer door was not blocked and had an emergency release mechanism.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support her family, including her two children, who remain in Nicaragua. The fundraiser aims to cover repatriation and funeral costs. Dollar Tree stated it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
