Woman who died in bakery oven at Halifax Walmart found by her mother, organization says
“A young beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams” is how a 19-year-old Halifax Walmart employee is being remembered, as her friends and family struggle with the devastating details of her death.
The Maritime Sikh Society has identified the victim of last Saturday’s incident as Gursimran Kaur, with the permission of her mother.
Both mother and daughter had been working at the Walmart store on Mumford Road in the city’s west end for about two years.
It was her mother, according to the society, who found Kaur inside the store’s bakery department. Halifax Regional Police have confirmed the victim’s body was found in a walk-in oven.
“The community has been shocked by the whole incident and they feel for it and of course the immediate family is upset with the shock, they’re in a kind of a trauma,” said Harjit Seyan, the society’s president.
“We are really, really upset about the whole thing of course and really sorry to hear such a tragic event.”
According to the Maritime Sikh Society, Kaur and her mother had moved to Canada within the past three years and were originally from India. Her father and brother are still living in that country.
“The Maritime Sikh Society has also arranged for psychological counseling for the family, for the people who are suffering and all that. So we are really with the family — talking to them,” said Sevan.
The society has also set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral expenses, and to bring family members here for last rites. It surpassed its $50,000 goal in 10 hours, and as of 11:30 a.m. Thursday has raised nearly $84,000.
The investigation into Kaur’s death continues, and involves police, the province’s labour department and the medical examiner’s office.
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