An American female doctor, Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, has been found dead inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami, Florida, barely a day after she was last seen entering the premises, authorities have confirmed.
Sanchez, a 32-year-old anesthesiologist, was discovered around 8 a.m. on Sunday by a store employee at the Dollar Tree outlet in the Little Havana area.
According to CBS News, the employee found Sanchez naked and unresponsive inside a freezer chest located in an employees-only section of the store.
Emergency responders were immediately contacted, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police investigations revealed that Sanchez entered the store the previous night but did not make any purchases.
Detectives believe Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez somehow accessed the restricted staff area and remained there overnight. Authorities have not explained how or why she entered the non-public section of the store.
The Miami Police Department stated that foul play has been ruled out, adding that the case is currently being treated as an “unclassified death” pending further investigation.
Sanchez, who was originally from Nicaragua, specialised in congenital heart disease and was described by loved ones as a dedicated medical professional deeply committed to saving children’s lives.
“Her work brought hope and healing to countless children and families,” a statement on a GoFundMe page created in her honour read.
“Her compassion, skill, and commitment to saving young lives defined both her career and her character.”
Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez was also a mother of two, and her family is now raising funds to transport her body back to Nicaragua, where her children live.
As of Monday afternoon, nearly $6,000 had been donated toward funeral and repatriation expenses.
Following the discovery, the Dollar Tree store was temporarily closed while police conducted investigations but later reopened the same day. The incident has left customers and residents in shock.
“It’s something painful. A family is heartbroken, and we don’t really know what happened,” one customer told local station WPLG. Another shopper, Margarita Puid, said she was devastated by the news, adding that she never imagined such a discovery could happen in a retail store.
Police said they are in contact with Sanchez’s family and are also examining whether she may have been dealing with mental health or personal challenges prior to her death.
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