A mother of five tragically died after reportedly being crushed by a pile of packages at a UPS facility in California.
The incident occurred at a UPS packaging facility on Atlas Road in Richmond, Calif., around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 21, according to ABC affiliate KGO, FOX affiliate KTVU, and NBC affiliate KNTV.
A preliminary police investigation suggests that an employee was loading packages alone inside a cargo trailer when several fell onto her. A co-worker discovered her and called for help.
The family has identified the victim as Shelma Reyna of Richmond. Her ex-husband, Juan Icazbalceta, told KTVU that she had been employed at the facility since last fall.
“I feel horrible. I started crying and I can’t believe it,” Icazbalceta said. “It’s like a nightmare.”
Reyna left behind five children, according to Esmeralda Ocampo, who organized a GoFundMe for Reyna’s family following her sudden death.
Ocampo described Reyna as “a healthy person with no health issues” prior to the incident.
“She was such an amazing person and had such a beautiful soul,” Ocampo wrote in the fundraiser description. “She helped everyone around her that needed help. She was always such a positive person and made our days even better.”
As of Wednesday, Sept. 24, more than $7,000 had been raised through the GoFundMe campaign. Ocampo noted that all donations “will be towards her services and be given to my cousin.”
Investigations into Reyna’s death are ongoing. Cal/OSHA, which is involved, stated on Tuesday, Sept. 23, that it “has up to six months to issue citations if any violations of workplace safety regulations are identified,” according to KTVU.
In a separate statement, Teamsters Local 315 president Alberto Ruiz said the union “is diligently working with CAL/OSHA and the Sheriffs’ Department to find out the true cause of this incident and to make sure our Teamsters members are all protected.”
