A tragic incident unfolded when a mother of two was discovered deceased inside a freezer at a supermarket after becoming trapped. The woman, identified as Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, was found naked in the freezer in a restricted employee-only area of the store in December 2025. Although there were no signs of foul play, her family has initiated a significant lawsuit against the supermarket.
The family’s lawsuit, amounting to $50 million, alleges that a manager instructed a worker not to review surveillance footage and failed to take necessary actions to locate or assist Helen when she went missing. Witnesses reported seeing Helen entering the store on a Saturday night before closing, heading towards the freezer in the back storage room without making any purchases.
According to police reports, the 32-year-old anesthesiologist did not buy anything and was last seen entering the freezer area. Her family blames the supermarket manager for negligence, accusing the store of lacking proper safety measures in the freezer area.
The incident occurred at a Dollar Tree store in Miami, where Helen was tragically trapped inside the walk-in freezer, resulting in fatal injuries. The family’s legal complaint states that Dollar Tree had a duty of care towards Helen and other shoppers in ensuring the safety and supervision of the store.
The store manager allegedly ignored requests to review surveillance footage to locate Helen, leading to further accusations of negligence. The family claims that the freezer where Helen was found was defective, and staff failed to prevent unauthorized access to it.
The lawsuit highlights Dollar Tree’s failure to implement adequate safety mechanisms in the freezer, such as internal emergency releases or alarms, to prevent such incidents. Helen, originally from Nicaragua, was described as a dedicated doctor and beloved mother who specialized in congenital heart disease, bringing hope and healing to many families through her work.
