Woman's Death in Miami Dollar Tree Freezer Ruled Hypothermia

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled that the cause of death for a 32-year-old woman found inside a Dollar Tree store freezer in Miami was environmental hypothermia. The woman, Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, was a doctor from Nicaragua who walked into the store the night before it closed and ended up trapped in the freezer overnight, where she died.

Why it matters

This tragic incident raises questions about the safety protocols and security measures in place at retail stores, especially regarding access to potentially dangerous areas like walk-in freezers. The family's lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of Dollar Tree in failing to prevent Sanchez from accessing the freezer and not responding quickly enough when she was reported missing.

The details

On December 15th, Miami police officers responded to a call from a Dollar Tree employee about a dead woman found inside the store's walk-in freezer. They discovered the body of 32-year-old Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, who had apparently walked into the store the previous night, did not make any purchases, and then made her way to the back storage room freezer where she spent the night before being found dead the next morning.

• On December 15, 2025, Miami police officers responded to the call about the dead woman found in the Dollar Tree freezer.
• The night before, on December 14, 2025, Sanchez had walked into the Dollar Tree store before it closed for the night.

What’s next

Sanchez's family has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Dollar Tree, alleging negligence in failing to prevent her access to the freezer and not responding quickly enough when she was reported missing.