Gursimran Kaur, a 19-year-old Walmart employee, was found dead on Oct. 19. Halifax Regional Police stated that Kaur was found deceased in a walk-in oven within the bakery department. Kaur’s mother allegedly went to find her after she had not responded to any messages or phone calls and discovered her in the oven.
“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,” said Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss in a statement. “Our store will be closed until further notice.”
Kaur and her mother immigrated to Halifax, Canada from India about two years ago, and both worked at the same Walmart location. Following Kaur’s death, a GoFundMe was set up for the family by members of the Maritime Sikh community. It collected over $80,000 before the fundraiser closed for the dividing of funds.
Halifax Regional Police are investigating the situation, but both current and former Walmart employees suspect Kaur’s death was a result of foul play. According to several employees, Walmart’s bakery ovens are almost impossible to get trapped in.
One of Kaur’s coworkers, Chris Breezie, shared her thoughts about the situation in a TikTok video. “I don’t even know if I would fit in here,” Breezie, who claimed she was 5 foot 1, said while demonstrating how the oven at Walmart works. “I would have to crouch down to get in.”
The ovens do not close on their own; they require a great amount of force to lock the latch. There is also an emergency latch on the inside of the oven if one were to get locked in. Walmart employees have also stated that workers are not required to enter the ovens.
The stop-work order that was placed on the Halifax Walmart has been lifted, but the store plans to stay closed for the time being in order to ensure the safety of their employees.
