A grieving mother who found the ‘charred remains’ of her daughter inside the walk-in oven of the Walmart they both worked at is ‘shattered and in agony’ over the discovery.
Gursimran Kaur, 19, tragically died on Saturday night inside the Halifax superstore in Nova Scotia, while on shift with her mother.
‘The mom is shattered. She’s psychologically in pain, agony,’ Maritime Sikh Society secretary Balbir Singh told CTV News.
‘She definitely needs help and support… she is still in a really bad state of mind, but she’s getting all the counselling.’
Gursimran Kaur, 19, tragically died in the Halifax superstore she worked at in Nova Scotia on Saturday night
The duo began working at Walmart together two years ago, shortly after arriving from India to begin a new life.
Friends of the mother and daughter have shared distressing details of Kaur’s death and her mother’s involvement in finding her remains.
Kaur’s mother was searching through the store for her when she made her way into the bakery section.
There, a colleague noted ‘leakage’ coming from the walk-in oven.
‘Imagine the horror that her mother experienced – who herself opened the oven,’ a spokesperson for the family said in a GoFundMe appeal.
While the exact brand of the oven involved in the incident has not yet been revealed, other Walmart stores around the United States are known to have ovens like the one pictured installed
‘As you all know, her charred remains were found inside the walk-in oven in the bakery after a few hours.’
Kaur’s mother is reportedly ‘traumatized’ by the discovery.
‘This family’s sufferings are unimaginable and indescribable,’ the Maritime Sikh Society Executive said in the appeal.
She has been described as a ‘watchful mother who breathes for her child’s happiness.’
Kaur and her mother were well regarded members of the Sikh community in Nova Scotia.
The duo began working at Walmart together two years ago, shortly after arriving from India seeking new opportunities
Her father and brother remained in India, but there are now frantic efforts underway to get them both to Canada.
Once Kaur’s remains have been released by the medical examiner’s office, a religious ceremony will be held in her honor.
Officials have not formally released any details about her cause of death, and an investigation into the tragedy is underway.
A dispatch call to first responders shed light on the tragedy early this week, revealing they were responding to an incident in which a female was locked in an oven in the bakery.’
‘Oven is on. Unsure if staff are able to turn it off,’ the dispatch officer warned.
Now, it’s been revealed that Kaur’s mother began panicking when she realized the teenager had not been seen on the shop floor in more than an hour.
‘She asked around, but everyone brushed aside thinking that she may be somewhere helping a customer,’ the appeal revealed.
Mourners have been arriving at the superstore in droves since the tragedy, laying flowers and paying tribute to the victim and her family
‘Her phone was not reachable. Mother started panicking as it was unusual for her to switch her phone off during the day. She reached out to the onsite admin for help.’
Walmart officials said in a statement ‘we are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family. We extend our sincerest condolences to those who were closest to them.
‘We’re also supporting our associates during this incredibly difficult time and have provided access to 24/7 virtual care and will provide on-site support, including grief counselling.’
Staff rostered on to work this week will still be paid despite store closures. The store will remain closed until further notice.
Kaur has been remembered as a ‘beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams.’
