Miami, Florida — A tragic incident involving a 32-year-old mother from Nicaragua has led her family to file a $50 million lawsuit against Dollar Tree. Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez was found dead in the store’s walk-in freezer in December. Reports indicate that at the time of her death, she had a blood alcohol content exceeding the legal limit.

Sanchez, an anesthesiologist and mother of two, was visiting Florida and had reportedly entered a restricted employee area without having made any purchases. She was discovered naked and unresponsive within the freezer by a staff member the following morning. Initial investigations by detectives ruled out foul play, but recent toxicology results revealed her blood-alcohol level stood at 0.11%, slightly above the state’s legal driving threshold of 0.08%.

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner has attributed her death to environmental hypothermia, with alcohol consumption cited as a contributing factor. Authorities clarified that the freezer door was not only functional but also equipped with an emergency release mechanism, indicating Sanchez could have exited had she been aware of her surroundings.

Family members are questioning how such a tragic outcome could occur, particularly after receiving indications from store management that Sanchez was unaccounted for that evening. Reports have surfaced claiming that staff should have initiated a search when it became clear she was missing.

The lawsuit alleges that Dollar Tree and the store manager neglected to provide adequate safety measures to prevent such avoidable accidents. It contends the store failed to act on its duty to protect customers from foreseeable hazards, like the walk-in freezer, and lacked appropriate safety protocols.

In addition to the $50 million in damages, the family is seeking compensation for medical expenses, funeral costs, and legal fees associated with the case. Sanchez’s passing has left a profound impact on her family, including a husband and two young children, who are described as the “center of her world.”

Dollar Tree has yet to release a statement regarding the lawsuit or the circumstances surrounding the incident. The case has drawn attention to customer safety in retail environments, prompting discussions about responsibility and preventive measures within such establishments.