An investigation is underway in Florida after a woman’s body was found inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami on the morning of Sunday, December 14.
Miami Police confirmed to NewsPlop that officers arrived at the Dollar Tree located at 968 Southwest 8th Street around 8 a.m. after an employee called to report that there was a dead woman inside the store.
Upon the officer’s arrival, they found the woman’s body inside a freezer. She has since been identified as 32-year-old Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez.
Miami Police said Sanchez walked into the store on the night of Saturday, December 13, before it closed. While she didn’t buy anything, she headed to a freezer in the back storage room and spent the night there.
Sanchez’s body was then found by an employee the following morning. In light of the discovery, detectives are currently speaking with Sanchez’s family to see if she was dealing with any mental health issues at the time of her death.
“Complainant found a naked female in the cooler of the store,” dispatchers were heard saying on the police scanners, according to CBS News.
Meanwhile, video from the scene showed police and fire rescue officials headed to the back of the store towards the freezers on December 14.
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“I’m also advised by the staff that they don’t recognize her as well,” one dispatcher said.
Following her death, Sanchez’s family launched a GoFundMe fundraiser page explaining that she was a physician originally from Nicaragua. The family is asking for help raising enough money to transport her body back to Nicaragua, where she will be buried.
It’s not currently clear why she was in Miami or if she was living in Florida at the time of her death.
The fundraiser page shared that Sanchez was a mom of two, as well as an anesthesiologist who specialized in congenital heart disease and “brought hope and healing to countless children and families,” according to fundraiser organizer Stefany Pereira.
“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 loved ones want to get her body back to Nicaragua, which is where her two children live. She added that they want her to “receive a proper funeral and final resting place” where she can be surrounded by her loved ones.
The fundraiser has set a goal of earning $20,000, while it has earned $12,216 as of time of publication.
“We thank you for your prayers, kindness, and support during this difficult moment,” Pereira added.
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Sanchez’s death has left many people in shock, and several Miami residents spoke to CBS News about the incident.
“I got to be honest with you, I’m totally devastated,” Margarita Puig told the outlet. “I can’t believe in the Dollar Tree you’d find a dead body.”
Fellow resident Hugo Morales expressed his concern for Sanchez’s family. “I think it’s crazy,” he said. “I’ve never heard of something like that in my life.”