(Scypre.com) – Authorities have confirmed that there is no evidence of foul play surrounding the tragic death of a 19-year-old Walmart employee whose body was found in the store’s walk-in oven last month. The incident occurred at the Walmart location on Mumford Road in Halifax, where Gursimran Kaur was discovered on the evening of October 19.
In a statement released on Monday, Halifax Regional Police confirmed that their investigation has determined that Kaur’s death was not suspicious. The police clarified that there was no indication of foul play, with a thorough review of video footage, interviews, and coordination with the Nova Scotia Department of Labor and the medical examiner’s office leading to this conclusion.
“We conducted several interviews, reviewed video footage, and worked very closely with our partners at Nova Scotia Department of Labor and medical examiner service,” said Martin Cromwell, a public information officer for Halifax Regional Police, in a video statement. “We do not believe anyone else was involved in the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.”
As a result, police have indicated that no further updates are expected in the case. The investigation into Kaur’s death is now considered complete. Police also met with her family to deliver the findings and offer condolences during this difficult time.
Gursimran Kaur, originally from India, had been working at the Walmart for two years alongside her mother, who also worked at the same store. The Maritime Sikh Society in Halifax, Nova Scotia, identified Kaur and launched a fundraising campaign for the grieving family shortly after her passing.
According to details shared by the organization, Kaur’s mother was the one who discovered her daughter’s body. The tragic event unfolded when Kaur’s mother grew concerned after not hearing from her daughter for over an hour. Unable to reach her by phone and after inquiring with coworkers, she began to panic. In a statement by the Maritime Sikh Society, the mother was said to have experienced “horror” when she found her daughter in the bakery’s walk-in oven, after someone pointed it out to her.
“Imagine the horror that her mother experienced when she opened the oven,” the fundraiser statement read. “It was unusual for her to switch her phone off during the day.”
Walmart, which had closed the store following the discovery of the incident, confirmed that the location remained closed for several days after the tragedy. A spokesperson for the company told NBC News in October that the store would remain closed until further notice. The closure lasted into November, with reports from CBC indicating that the store remained shut as of mid-month.
On October 22, the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration issued a stop-work order for the bakery section of the Walmart, specifically addressing the oven involved. The order was lifted on October 28, after the oven was thoroughly assessed and found to be in compliance with the manufacturer’s safety standards.
“The oven was determined to have been operating as per the manufacturer’s requirements,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.
In light of the police’s findings, the Nova Scotia Department of Labour has now assumed responsibility for the workplace investigation into the incident. Effective November 18, the department has taken over the investigation, focusing on any potential safety concerns within the store’s bakery.
Meanwhile, Walmart confirmed last week that the bakery oven involved in the incident is being removed as part of a nationwide remodeling program for the company’s stores.
The case has left the community in shock and mourning, with the Maritime Sikh Society continuing to support Kaur’s family as they cope with the loss of a young life taken far too soon.