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Autopsy: Miami Dollar Tree Freezer Death Was Accidental Hypothermia

The medical examiner reported a 0.112% blood-alcohol level as a contributing factor.

Overview

  • Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, 32, a visitor from Nicaragua, was found unresponsive in a walk-in freezer at the Little Havana store on Dec. 14 and was pronounced dead at the scene.
  • The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner identified environmental hypothermia as the cause of death and ruled the manner of death an accident.
  • Toxicology results showed ethanol presence at 0.112%, and police said she had been drinking the night before she went missing inside the store.
  • Authorities said the freezer door was not blocked and had an interior emergency release, and police reported staff could not access surveillance video during the initial search.
  • Her family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against Dollar Tree and the store manager alleging failures in safety policies and response procedures.