A 19-year-old woman in Canada was found dead on Saturday inside a Walmart bakery’s industrial walk-in oven.
According to Halifax Regional Police, details surrounding the death are extremely limited and the investigation remains ongoing.
“The woman, who was an employee of the store, was located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store’s bakery department,” their statement reads. “It is important to note that the investigation has not yet reached a point where the cause and manner of death have been confirmed.”
Police described the investigation as “complex” and said there are multiple partner agencies involved in the probe. Authorities encouraged the media and social media users to be careful with speculation and act with sensitivity to the family’s needs.
Local outlet CBC reported that the young woman and her family had just moved to Canada from India in the last three years.
A 911 call last Saturday had described the woman as “trapped” inside the oven. But sources told the CBC that the oven did not lock. Police responded to the call around 9:30 p.m. and described the incident as a “sudden death.” Authorities have not said foul play is suspected.
Walmart has offered counseling to employees in response to the tragedy, and a mourners created a memorial outside the store to pay their respects.
