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The family of Helen Massiell Garay Sánchez, the 32-year-old Nicaraguan doctor found dead inside an industrial freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami in December 2025, has filed a civil lawsuit for more than 50 million dollars against the retail chain and the management of the establishment.
The case, which shook the Hispanic community due to its perplexing circumstances, has taken a judicial turn that highlights alleged corporate negligence and serious lapses in safety protocols.
A million-dollar lawsuit for wrongful death due to negligence
The legal action was filed on Wednesday, January 28, in Miami-Dade County and seeks to establish liability for wrongful death, local media reported.
According to the lawsuit, Dollar Tree was negligent in allowing Helen to access a restricted area, without staff to assist her or security systems in place to prevent her from becoming trapped.
The family claims that the victim got trapped in the freezer and died from causes that have not yet been officially clarified.
“The store failed to fulfill its duty to protect its customers, allowing Sánchez to enter the freezer without warning him of the danger”, reports the lawsuit cited by Univision.
But the legal document goes further: it also directly points to the manager of the establishment, who, according to the plaintiffs, was informed on the night of December 13 that Helen had not left the store, without any search protocol being activated.
“The store manager was given real notice that she was missing and had not left the premises, and did not take reasonable measures to locate or assist Sánchez,” the lawsuit points out.
In statements reported by WTVJ, it is claimed that the employees were not trained to ensure that no one was left inside at the time of closing, a negligence that the family considers fatal.
The document was submitted on behalf of Garay's husband and their two minor children, who reside in Nicaragua and are seeking not only financial compensation but also a jury trial to clarify responsibilities.
Dollar Tree's Response: Corporate Silence
So far, the company's official response has been limited. In a brief statement sent to American media, a spokesperson for Dollar Tree stated:
"We are aware of this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the deceased. We are fully cooperating with the authorities at this time."
They have not commented on the details of the lawsuit nor explained why a customer was able to access an industrial freezer in a restricted area without any obstacles.
What is known about the case: A fateful night in Little Havana
Helen Massiell Garay arrived in Miami on December 5, 2025, from Managua, to visit her father.
She was scheduled to return to Nicaragua on the 15th, but on the night of Saturday, December 13, she entered the Dollar Tree store located at 968 Southwest 8th Street in Little Havana alone.
The security cameras recorded her entering the establishment before 10:00 p.m.—the time the business closed—without making any purchases.
Later, he is seen walking towards a restricted area, designated only for employees, where the industrial freezer was located.
Helen did not go out again. On the morning of Sunday, the 14th, an employee who arrived to open the establishment found her body inside the freezer, completely nude.
He immediately called the police, who identified the victim hours later.
Hypothesis: Accident, negligence, and "paradoxical nakedness"
Although the autopsy has not yet been published and the official cause of death remains "pending," the Miami Police have found no signs of violence, robbery, or sexual assault.
A police spokesman quoted by People said that "there was nothing unlawful. She entered the freezer alone,” and they ruled out any prior psychiatric disorder.
However, the fact that her body was found naked raised suspicions.
According to Univision, a medical hypothesis known as "paradoxical undressing" is being considered, associated with cases of severe hypothermia, in which the victim experiences a false sense of extreme heat before dying and removes their clothing.
"After spending a long time exposed to freezing temperatures, some people experience hallucinations or a feeling of internal burning, which they confuse with heat," explained medical experts.
This explanation is the one that, so far, seems most plausible among Helen's close ones, although everything will depend on the official forensic report.
A devastating loss for his/her family
Helen Garay was an anesthesiologist specialized in congenital heart diseases. According to those close to her, she was the only one with that specialty in Nicaragua. Her vocation was pediatric care, and she had dedicated her life to saving children with complex heart issues.
“Her compassion, skill, and commitment to saving young lives defined both her career and her character,” wrote Stefany Pereira on the GoFundMe page set up to raise funds to repatriate the body.
She was also remembered as a loving mother of two young children, who are waiting for her in Nicaragua and now deal with the hardest loss.
"The family's greatest wish is to bring her back to Nicaragua so that she can receive an appropriate funeral and final resting place, surrounded by her loved ones," says the fundraising campaign.
More than a month after the tragic discovery, the case of Helen Garay remains largely unresolved. Authorities have not concluded the investigation, the coroner's report is still pending, and Dollar Tree is maintaining a low profile amid media and legal pressure.
Meanwhile, his family is demanding justice and that what happened does not go forgotten. The lawsuit for over 50 million dollars marks the beginning of a legal process that could set precedents regarding corporate responsibility in business environments and internal security protocols.
"We also don't know how this happened. And they aren’t giving us any answers," lamented her cousin, Daniela Cortez, in statements to the New York Post.
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