19-year-old female Walmart employee in Canada found dead in store walk-in oven
· UPIOct. 23 (UPI) -- A 19-year-old woman was found dead in a bakery's walk-in oven at a Canadian Walmart where she was an employee, according to reports.
According to the Halifax police, local investigators are working closely with Occupational Health and Safety and Nova Scotia's Medical Examiner Service to officially determine cause and manner of death.
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The store remains closed until further notice and Walmart is providing virtual care and grief counseling.
On Saturday, the body of a young unidentified woman of Sikh background was found at the Walmart at 6990 Mumford Road in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
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The woman, according to a Tuesday update, had been "located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store's bakery department."
The mother and daughter arrived in Canada nearly three years ago from India. According to the Maritime Sikh Society in Canada, the group had been in contact with the victim's mother.
A Walmart spokesperson said the global retail giant is "heartbroken" and the company's "deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family."
The Halifax Regional Police were called at around 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday night where they found the body.
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"Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need," Walmart spokeswoman Amanda Moss told multiple news outlets.
Meanwhile, the investigation, officials say, "is complex and involves several partner agencies. An investigation of this nature may take a significant amount of time."
On Tuesday, Halifax police urged the public "to be mindful" of sharing "speculative information" on social media platforms.
"As police have stated, this is a very complex matter and the investigation is ongoing," Moss said on behalf of Walmart.