Share
25th October 2024
11:32am BST
A teenager who was 'baked to death' in a Walmart walk-in oven has been identified.
Gursimran Kaur, 19, was working in a Walmart in the town of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Saturday evening when the tragic incident happened.
She worked in the shop with her mother, who would often check on Kaur when they had shifts together.
Her mother became concerned when she had not seen the teenager for an extended period of time, and started looking for her when she couldn't contact her phone.
A member of staff then noticed a "leakage" coming from the bakery area. An hour later, Kaur's "charred remains" were found by her mother in the walk-in oven.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up to raise money for her father and brother to fly out to Canada from India.
Kaur emigrated to Canada three years ago and formed close bonds with the Maritime Sikh Society, LBC reports.
She's been remembered as a "young, beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams."
The page read: "On Oct 19th, the fateful Saturday night, she was found burned to death in the walk-in oven at Walmart Bakery situated at Mumford Road, Halifax.
"Gursimran and her mother both worked at Walmart for last two years. In that evening, like any watchful mother who breathes for her child's happiness, Gursimran's mother tried to locate her after not seeing for one hour.
"She asked around, but everyone brushed aside thinking that she may be somewhere helping a customer, Walmart is a superstore after all. Her phone was not reachable.
"Mother started panicking as it was unusual for her to switch her phone off during the day. She reached out to the onsite admin for help.
"As you all know now, her charred remains were found inside the walk-in oven in the Bakery after a few hours.
"Imagine the horror that her mother experienced who herself opened the oven, when someone pointed out to it!
"Police [are] investigating the case so we can not share any more details.
"Both, Gursimran's father and brother are in India and we are trying to get them here as soon as possible. This family's sufferings are unimaginable and indescribable. They need your support to get through this horrific time."
Just over CA$193,069 have been raised at the time of writing.
Police have described the investigation into Kaur's death as "complex", and have urged the public to be "patient with our investigation and mindful that there are family members and coworkers involved."
In a statement, Walmart Canada said they were "heartbroken" by the tragedy, saying: "Our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family.
"We extend our sincerest condolences to those who were closest to them."
