Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez’s family says they’re still searching for clarity after she was found dead inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami.
Police said officers responded on Sunday, Dec. 14, to a report of a deceased woman inside the business at 968 SW 8th St. First responders located Sanchez’s body in a store freezer.
Nearly a week later, Sanchez’s cousin, Daniela Cortez, told the New York Post that relatives are left with unresolved questions.
“Even the family has a lot of questions,” Cortez said. “We don’t know how this happened either. And we’re not getting any answers.”
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At the time of the incident, police said no foul play was suspected. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to local reports from NBC affiliate WTVJ and WPLG, police said Sanchez entered the store without purchasing anything, went into a restricted employee-only area, and entered the freezer, where she remained overnight. She was found the next morning by an employee, the reports said.
A Dollar Tree spokesperson said the company was aware of the incident and that it is cooperating with authorities.
Sanchez was a mother of two and a doctor from Nicaragua who “dedicated her life to medicine,” according to a GoFundMe created by Stefany Pereira to support her family.
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“Her compassion, skill and commitment to saving young lives defined both her career and her character,” Pereira wrote. “Her strength, warmth and unwavering love for her family will always be remembered.”
Pereira added that Sanchez’s two children remain in Nicaragua and said the family hopes to bring her home for funeral services. The fundraiser states the family is seeking help to cover repatriation, transportation, and funeral costs.
