THE Canadian police on Monday, November 18, issued an official statement saying the investigation conducted into the death of an Indian-origin woman inside a walk-in oven at a Walmart store in Halifax, Nova Scotia, found that the death was “not suspicious” and there was “no evidence of foul play”.
The police concluded their probe the same day. Nineteen-year-old Gursimran Kaur, who worked at the superstore, was found dead in one of its appliances on October 19. Reports said her charred body was spotted by her mother, who also worked at the store for the last couple of years.
The mother started panicking after failing to locate her teenage daughter for one hour. Gursimran’s phone was also switched off. She then asked the onsite administration for help and after a few hours, the remains of her daughter were discovered.
“The police investigation determined the death is not suspicious and there is no evidence of foul play,” the Halifax Police said on Monday. “Investigators met with family to share this update and extend condolences. Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”
Statement on Sudden Death Investigation pic.twitter.com/0IsyAfMkzX
— Halifax_Police (@HfxRegPolice) November 18, 2024
Martin Cromwell, the Public Information Officer of the Halifax Regional Police, said they spoke to many people and reviewed video footage as part of the investigation. It led to the conclusion that there was no foul play. He said the police do not believe anyone was involved in the case.
In October, the police said the probe was “complex” and a number of partner agencies were involved in it.
Despite the police’s conclusion, questions remain unanswered yet.
Walmart workers think the oven can’t shut by itself
A TikTok video by Walmart co-worker Chris Breezie which went viral explained the technical aspects of the oven. In her video, she claimed her height to be 5 foot 1 inch and showed how to enter the oven. Breezie said it would be difficult for somebody to lock himself/herself inside the appliance.
She also said that the oven has an emergency latch inside which could be used in an emergency. According to her, it is not possible for somebody to lock themselves inside. Another Walmart employee also said that the oven is designed in such a way that the door doesn’t close by itself.
Walmart refused to issue any statement on the specifics of the incident even as its employees continued to express concerns about the safety of the equipment.
A fundraiser was organized by the Maritime Sikh Society to donate money to the bereaved family of Kaur.
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