Mother of 2 found dead inside Miami Dollar Tree freezer

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A 32-year-old Florida anesthesiologist and mother of two was found dead inside a faulty walk-in freezer at a Miami Dollar Tree store last year. Her family has filed a $50 million lawsuit alleging the store manager failed to take reasonable action to locate or assist the victim after being notified she was missing, and that the store failed to maintain the freezer with adequate safety mechanisms.

Why it matters

This tragic incident raises concerns about safety standards and emergency protocols at retail stores, as well as the duty of care owed to customers. The lawsuit also highlights the devastating impact on families when preventable accidents occur.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez was seen by workers walking into the Dollar Tree store on a Saturday night before it closed. She did not make any purchases and was later found dead inside a restricted, employee-only freezer area. The lawsuit alleges the store manager was notified Sanchez was missing but instructed an employee not to review surveillance footage and failed to take reasonable steps to locate or assist her. It also claims the freezer lacked adequate safety features to prevent entrapment.

• On December 14, Sanchez's body was found inside the Dollar Tree freezer.
• Sanchez was last seen by workers entering the store on the Saturday night before it closed.

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the store manager, Yanelkis Gonzalez, to be released on bail.