Gursimran Kaur Obituary, Death – The Maritime Sikh Society has successfully raised over CAD 150,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to support the family of a 19-year-old Walmart employee whose remains were found in a walk-in oven. This fundraising effort surpassed its initial target of CAD 50,000 within just 10 hours.
The victim, Gursimran Kaur, was discovered deceased in a walk-in oven at the Walmart bakery located at 6990 Mumford Road, as reported by Halifax Regional Police. The Maritime Sikh Society, which spearheaded the fundraising initiative, expressed their gratitude for the overwhelming support they received. In an update on their GoFundMe page, they thanked contributors, stating, “Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support; the target was achieved within 10 hours. We are receiving calls and messages from all over the world from people wanting to help.” They also confirmed that all funds raised will directly assist Kaur’s grieving family.
Kaur’s death is currently under investigation by Halifax Regional Police, who are collaborating with Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service. A press release dated October 21 noted that the police have not yet determined the cause or manner of her death, citing the investigation as “complex” and involving multiple partner agencies. An update on October 22 reiterated the importance of refraining from speculation on social media regarding the circumstances of her death.
The police were called to the scene on October 19 at approximately 9:30 p.m. (ADT) to investigate the sudden death. The investigation is expected to be intricate and may take considerable time to conclude.
According to the Sikh Society, Kaur’s unexpected passing has profoundly affected her family, who are originally from India. Both Kaur and her mother had been employed at Walmart for two years. On the night of Kaur’s death, her mother grew concerned after not being able to locate her daughter for an hour. Initially, she was told Kaur might be occupied with customers, but her worry deepened when Kaur didn’t respond to her calls, which was out of character during work hours.
Tragically, it was Kaur’s mother who first discovered her daughter’s remains inside the oven after being directed there by someone else. The society clarified that they had received permission from the family to share this information.
Efforts are being made to facilitate the travel of Kaur’s father and brother from India to Canada so they can be with their grieving family during this difficult time.
In response to the incident, Sarah MacNeil, a communications adviser for the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, confirmed that a stop-work order was issued on October 22 for the bakery and one piece of equipment at the Walmart store where Kaur worked. MacNeil extended condolences to Kaur’s family, stating, “Our sympathies go out to the family, and we extend our sincere condolences to them as they mourn their loss.”