The 19-year-old victim found deceased in a walk-in oven at a Walmart in Canada has been identified as Gursimran Kaur, an Indo-Canadian immigrant, media reports said.
The incident took place on October 19 at the store located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. According to the Halifax Police, Kaur, who was an employee at the store, was discovered in a large walk-in oven in the bakery department.
Local reports indicate that her charred remains were found by her mother, who also worked at the same store. Originally from Ludhiana, Kaur and her mother had relocated to Canada from the United Kingdom three years ago and began working at the Walmart approximately two years ago.
An online fundraiser initiated by the Maritime Sikh Society Executive has described Gursimran Kaur as “a young beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams.”
The campaign outlined the tragic events leading to the discovery of her body. On the evening of October 19, Kaur’s mother began to worry after not seeing her for an hour and being unable to reach her by phone. Other store employees dismissed her concerns, suggesting that Kaur might be busy helping a customer.
But as time passed, her mother grew increasingly anxious, as it was unusual for Kaur to turn off her phone during the day. Seeking assistance, she contacted the store’s onsite administrators. Sadly, hours later, Kaur was found in the bakery oven by employees, including her mother.
The fundraiser said: “Imagine the horror that her mother experienced when she opened the oven.”
As of Thursday evening, the fundraiser has already raised over CA$ 164,000 to support the family.