On October 19th, 2024, at approximately 9:30pm Walmart employee, 19-year old Gursimran Kaur, was found dead in the supermarket’s batch-style industrial oven. 

Police were called “to a sudden death” at the store. The Nova Scotia teen’s body was discovered by her mother in the burning walk-in oven, over an hour after she was reported missing on Mumford Road in Halifax, Canada.

Kaur’s mother, who also worked at Walmart, had found her daughter in the oven after anxiously searching for her daughter in the supercenter. The mom began to worry after she had repeatedly called her daughter, but the call would not go through. 

“The community has been shocked by the whole incident,” Maritime Sikh Society President Harjit Seyan told Canada’s Global News. “We are really upset.”

Many pieces remain unknown about the heartbreaking case and death of the “beautiful girl” Kaur’s family said. Canadian Police have yet to determine the manner and cause of death, as it is still unclear how the teen ended up in the oven. 

According to emergency audio, the woman was said to have been “locked” in the oven. “Female is locked in an oven in the bakery. The oven is on, unsure if the staff are able to turn it off,” the dispatcher said in the audio. Said people magazine.

“Police in Halifax, Canada, have cautioned against “sharing speculative information” while they undertake what they call a “complex” and time-consuming investigation.” Said People Magazine.

As of October 25th, a GoFundMe campaign for the family has raised about $194,449 in their daughter’s name. “My deepest condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of this beautiful girl taken way too soon” said a commenter on the GoFundMe.

Currently, the Walmart is under investigation, marked by caution tape, the location “will remain closed until further notice,” according to a Walmart spokeswoman. 

This heartbreaking story has broken international headlines as citizens are jumping to assumptions and eager to search for more answers.