Canada - Gursimran Kaur, 19, Walmart worker found dead inside bakery oven - October 22, 2024

[Gemmie]

It's easier for me to think of reasons why someone may have killed her, than to figure out HOW they would have been able to manage to do that, WHILE in a busy Walmart that was currently open for business at the time.

I'm not sure how busy it was late in the evening. All I know is my grocery stores pretty much clear out late in the evening, ditto with first thing after they open, with a few shoppers here and there. And I'm talking about stores smaller than a Walmart, so while you could have more shoppers than my smaller stores during off-hours... there's so many departments they could be in. IOW, spread out far away.

Which just made me think of this... Does anyone know what their bakery hours are? I know a baker that worked at a grocery store and she worked VERY EARLY morning hours to get product on the shelves before the store opened. I Googled for it and AI pretty much agrees with what my friend has told me (AI doesn't give links so none to post, although it's at the top of THIS Google search):

Walmart bakers typically begin baking early in the morning, usually before the store opens to the public, to ensure fresh baked goods are available throughout the day; this could mean starting as early as 4-5 AM depending on the store's specific schedule and product demand.

Key points to remember:

• Early start: Baking often begins before the store opens to customers.
  
• Throughout the day: Bakers may continue to bake throughout the day to replenish stock as needed.
  
• Variable schedule: Exact baking times can vary depending on the store, day of the week, and special orders.

 

[Kittybunny]

The only accident scenario I can think of is the following, but it requires it to have been a “baking day” in which the oven was in use, and the dimensions of the oven (which I admit I have not researched) to fit the scenario.

Hypothetical scenario:
Gursimran gets really upset about something. She goes into the oven towards the back for some privacy. A coworker who has no idea that she’s in there, puts in the racks, pinning her in the back. Door is closed, oven is turned on, and there is not enough room for her on either side to get through to the front and open the door.

Even as I type this all out I realize it’s highly implausible but it’s the best I could do. It also makes me horrified and praying with all my heart that this didn’t happen and that she was deceased before this happened.

 

[JDG]

I'm not sure how busy it was late in the evening. All I know is my grocery stores pretty much clear out late in the evening, ditto with first thing after they open, with a few shoppers here and there. And I'm talking about stores smaller than a Walmart, so while you could have more shoppers than my smaller stores during off-hours... there's so many departments they could be in. IOW, spread out far away.

Which just made me think of this... Does anyone know what their bakery hours are? I know a baker that worked at a grocery store and she worked VERY EARLY morning hours to get product on the shelves before the store opened. I Googled for it and AI pretty much agrees with what my friend has told me (AI doesn't give links so none to post, although it's at the top of THIS Google search):

Walmart bakers typically begin baking early in the morning, usually before the store opens to the public, to ensure fresh baked goods are available throughout the day; this could mean starting as early as 4-5 AM depending on the store's specific schedule and product demand.

Key points to remember:

• Early start: Baking often begins before the store opens to customers.
• Throughout the day: Bakers may continue to bake throughout the day to replenish stock as needed.
• Variable schedule: Exact baking times can vary depending on the store, day of the week, and special orders.

Bakers do start work very early in the day.

I believe Walmart bakeries are open to some employees between 4-5 am.

<modsnip - no link>

——————

As for shoppers, I understand that there are ‘types’ of shoppers.

Some are waiting to be let in, early morning people, walking club people who do perimeter laps before it gets busy. Etc

Later the Moms/caregivers with small children, older people to either walk or shop.

After school, it’s the Moms with school age children and people coming in to purchase dinner ready meals, often.

Because Walmart is not just a grocery store, there are more definite patterns to their clientele.

 

[Kittybunny]

We’ve seen her lovely photo and she’s not wearing a scarf, but maybe she did in public? In Toronto a woman died in a bakery factory because her scarf got caught in machinery.

In some of the models of Baxter ovens they show machinery inside at the top.

(Or her long hair got caught?) The 911 call said she was locked in, but we found out it didn’t lock. Maybe trapped somehow?

Do we know who made the 911 call? That’s a bit odd they would say she was locked in when the oven doesn’t lock.

 

[sunspun]

I wonder how long a person could physically withstand this oven's temperatures before suffering serious incapacitating harm or death? I assume it takes at least some time to heat up - it wouldn't instantly be at high temp as soon as it's turned on. So it wouldn't start out deadly, but I don't know how long it would be before it became that way. Just suppose she was somehow stuck in there (like if her hair got caught) and worked to free herself for a bit, but couldn't do it before the heat got too much. The heat would also burn her hair, probably freeing her, but too late, so they wouldn't see what had caused her to be stuck at first when they found her. Just one possible accident scenario. May not even be any way for her hair to become stuck anyway. Baffling.

 

[LadyL]

I hope it wasn't a tik tok challenge or a social media prank.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I hope it wasn't a tik tok challenge or a social media prank.

What a reality we live in. Then again, it's not impossible, IMO. Teenagers/20-somethings have committed fatal "pranks" forever. Although this would be a particularly terrible one, if it was...

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

Hypothetical scenario:
Gursimran gets really upset about something. She goes into the oven towards the back for some privacy. A coworker who has no idea that she’s in there, puts in the racks, pinning her in the back. Door is closed, oven is turned on, and there is not enough room for her on either side to get through to the front and open the door.

Even as I type this all out I realize it’s highly implausible but it’s the best I could do. It also makes me horrified and praying with all my heart that this didn’t happen and that she was deceased before this happened.

This is the only plausible accident scenario I can think of.

It would explain the called describing her as “trapped” IMO.

But the oven being on troubles me. Would the oven shut itself off after a certain amount of time?

Who would shut in racks of bakery items and leave them to bake unattended? I wouldn’t want to risk a fire from burnt goods, or leaving them to get stale.

Even if the racks were empty, it doesn’t explain why the oven would be on. You don’t heat an oven you don’t plan on using and leave it at the end of the night.

I guess I just assume that if the incident was an accident we wouldn’t still be waiting for more answers at this point.

The impression I’m left with is that whatever happened was intended to look like an accident but upon examination by LE, it’s not so simple.

If she was pushed in a fit of rage and prevented from getting out, the person responsible may have assumed their bases were covered. But if they were from a department outside of the bakery, perhaps they underestimated the oven was built with accident prevention in mind, in reference to the interior button.

 

[Deleted member 296739]

Do we know the last time she was seen alive?

Did she work her shift?

Was the oven used at all on Saturday?

Could she have been there since Friday night if no reason to use the equipment Saturday?

So strange… moo

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I hope it wasn't a tik tok challenge or a social media prank.

ohhhh my. what a horrible thought.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

The longer LE makes us wait for the truth, our theories are going to get wilder.MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

The longer LE makes us wait for the truth, our theories are going to get wilder.MOO

LE isn't at our beck and call, their responsibility is to the victim and the state to investigate this death, however long that takes. They're not responsible for people spinning theories on the internet. Wrangling social media and public curiosity isn't their job.

MOO

 

[Lexiintoronto]

‘“Those who knew her shared stories about her gentle spirit. […]"She's a very kind girl," he said.[…]’

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7372611

The article says her mother is not doing well (understandably), and she is waiting for answers. She was not at the vigil.

Halifax police have said the investigation is very complex and involves many partner agencies.

Walmart said they are doing everything to support the grieving staff and cooperate with the investigation.

 

[Deleted member 296739]

View attachment 542963
‘“Those who knew her shared stories about her gentle spirit. […]"She's a very kind girl," he said.[…]’
View attachment 542964

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7372611

The article says her mother is not doing well (understandably), and she is waiting for answers.

Halifax police have said the investigation is very complex and involves many partner agencies.

Walmart said they are doing everything to support the grieving staff and cooperate with the investigation.

Such a strange case- the more agencies involved and “complexity” of the case have me leaning away from accident but not sure about an alternative narrative either- moo

 

[Chimera]

I believe the store is closed until further notice.

No need to remove, possibly damage, the oven.

Everything is secured in the legal sense.

I would buy baked goods from there, it will all be thoroughly cleaned or replaced.

It was tragic but very unlikely to recur.

Yeah, I'm not buying any goods baked in that same oven.

I'd imagine it'd be replaced ?
At this time, I'm more interested in if they can discover about this.

Eta: I need to check back upthread.
Omo

 

[Bounceycat]

At this time, I'm more interested in if they can discover what was on the tampered security footage.

I missed this. Where does it say the footage was tampered with?

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

Such a strange case- the more agencies involved and “complexity” of the case have me leaning away from accident but not sure about an alternative narrative either- moo

Exactly. Multiple agencies? That’s…something.

I wonder if Gursimran had complained about someone before bothering her in the workplace? Is there a large segment of the Sikh community working in that Walmart? I’m just trying to figure out why multiple “agencies” are part of this investigation.

My mind if course jumped immediately to something like Immigration? Sorry I’m so ignorant when it comes to Canadian LE. Is there a Canadian version of the FBI?

I would like to know the manner of death at a minimum if LE can release it. Whether or not she was alive or if she sustained prior injuries…something about this entire situation is just weird.

 

[Deleted member 296739]

Exactly. Multiple agencies? That’s…something.

I wonder if Gursimran had complained about someone before bothering her in the workplace? Is there a large segment of the Sikh community working in that Walmart? I’m just trying to figure out why multiple “agencies” are part of this investigation.

My mind if course jumped immediately to something like Immigration? Sorry I’m so ignorant when it comes to Canadian LE. Is there a Canadian version of the FBI?

I would like to know the manner of death at a minimum if LE can release it. Whether or not she was alive or if she sustained prior injuries…something about this entire situation is just weird.

My thoughts are all over the place on this one and I’m totally ignorant about LE in Canada as well- but definitely something is off about this… moo

 

[Live_and_Learn]

Would she have been cleaning it?

 

[Deleted member 296739]

Would she have been cleaning it?

No reports of it that I’ve seen… we just don’t know much at all