An investigation is underway in Canada after a 19-year-old Walmart employee was found dead inside a store’s walk-in bakery oven Saturday night.
Police were called to a Walmart location in Halifax, Nova Scotia, over the weekend, where they discovered the body of a woman “located in a large walk-in oven belonging to the store’s bakery department.”
According to a Tuesday municipal press release, authorities are still determining the cause of death. The woman’s identity has not been made public.
Local police cautioned people against “sharing speculative information” about the death on social media, noting that the multi-agency investigation is “complex” and may take a “significant amount of time” to resolve.
“Please be aware of the impacts that speculation could have on family, colleagues and loved ones of the woman,” authorities advised.
Law enforcement is collaborating with Canada’s Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service on the investigation.
On Tuesday, Walmart spokesperson Amanda Moss told ABC News that the Halifax location will be closed until further notice during the investigation.
“We are heartbroken and our deepest thoughts are with our associate and their family,” Moss told ABC News. “Our focus remains on taking care of our associates and making sure they have the support they need.”
The retail giant told Canada’s CTV News it would be offering employees on-site support and grief counseling in the wake of the incident.
