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FOUND IN A STORE FREEZER: The Shocking Cause of Death of a Young Mom of 2 Has Been Confirmed — And the Timeline Raises Disturbing Questions

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Cause of Death Revealed for Mom of 2 Found Dead in Dollar Tree Freezer

Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, 32, was found dead inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Miami on Dec. 14, 2025

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The cause of death for a woman who was found dead inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree in Miami has been revealed
Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, a 32-year-old mother of two, was found dead inside a freezer at the discount store on Dec. 14, 2025
Authorities previously said Sanchez climbed inside the freezer the night prior and was there overnight, before being found by employee at around 8:00 a.m.

The cause of death for a mother of two found dead inside a freezer at a Dollar Tree in Miami has released.

Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, 32, was found dead inside a freezer at the discount store on SW 8th Street on Dec. 14, 2025, PEOPLE previouslyreported.

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Sanchez’s cause of death as environmental hypothermia, with ethanol use being a contributory cause, according to local media outlets NBC6, WPLG and the Miami Herald.

Dr. Helen Garay

Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez.

GoFundMe

Sanchez’s ethanol levels were found to be at 0.112% in her toxicology report, per NBC6. A reading of ocular fluid ethanol was also at 0.156%, according to WPLG.

Ethanol is used in alcoholic beverages. A blood ethanol level of 0.112% is also above the legal limit to drive, per the outlet.

Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature drops below 95 degrees. “Left untreated, hypothermia can cause the heart and respiratory system to fail and eventually can lead to death,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

PEOPLE has contacted the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office for comment

Authorities previously said Sanchez entered the Dollar Tree without buying anything on Dec. 13, according to NBC 6 and WPLG.

She then reportedly went to an employee-only area and stayed inside the freezer overnight.

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Sanchez was found deceased in the freezer by an employee at around 8:00 a.m. the following morning, PEOPLE previously reported.

In January, Sanchez’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Miami-Dade County against Dollar Tree and the location’s manager, per NBC 6.

Dollar Tree

A Dollar Tree store on SW 8th St in Miami.

Google Maps

Sanchez’s family, who are suing the chain and store’s manager for over $50 million, claimed Dollar Tree was negligent in not preventing Sanchez from accessing the store’s freezer.

They also claimed that the manager was “placed on actual notice” that Sanchez was missing and hadn’t exited the store and that the manager “failed to take reasonable action to locate or assist Sanchez,” per NBC 6.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Sanchez’s husband and two children.

A  police spokesperson previously told PEOPLE that they obtained footage from a family member and from the store.

“This is why we know there was no foul play,” the spokesperson said. “She went into the freezer on her own.”

A police officer who spoke to WPLG also previously ruled out mental illness as a factor in her death.

In a statement, a Dollar Tree spokesperson previously told PEOPLE that the company was “cooperating fully with the authorities at this time.” “We are aware of this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the individual’s family and loved ones,” they added.

A company spokesperson also added in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Feb. 2, “Our thoughts continue to be with the individual’s family and loved ones. While we do not comment on active legal matters, we continue to cooperate fully with authorities.”

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Sanchez, who was from Nicaragua, worked as a doctor and was “dedicated her life to medicine,” according to a GoFundMe page started to support her family in the wake of her death.

She was recognized as an anesthesiologist specializing in congenital heart disease and “brought hope and healing to countless children and families,” according to organizer Stefany Pereira.

Her loved ones said she died while abroad, and that her two children “who remain in Nicaragua” “were the center of her world.”

“The family is currently raising funds to cover the costs of repatriation, transportation, and funeral services in Nicaragua,” a message on the fundraiser read. “Any contribution, no matter the amount, will help honor her life and legacy and support her children during this devastating time.”

Retired French ice dancer Gabriella Papadakis had just two words for her former partner’s gold medal win at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Papadakis, 30, skated with Guillaume Cizeron for years, and the two even won gold together in 2022. But earlier this year, she accused Cizeron, 31, of being “controlling” and “demanding” in the pages of her memoir So as Not to Disappear. So when Cizeron, 31, took home yet another free dance gold with his new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry on Feb. 11, Papadakis responded with an Instagram post featuring two well-known stress relievers: a glass of wine and a pack of cigarettes. “Logging off xxx,” she captioned the post. Cizeron has denied Papadakis’s claims against him, telling Reuters in a statement that he was the target of a “smear campaign” and would be pursuing legal action. But Papadakis has continued to defend her decision to speak out, writing in a Feb. 8 Instagram post that she was choosing to share her experiences in the sport “because I believe in a sport where young athletes don’t have to endure what I did in order to achieve their dreams.” Related Stories French Ice Dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron Win Gold amid Ongoing Controversy France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry (L) and France’s Guillaume Cizeron warm up before the figure skating ice dance-free dance final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 11, 2026. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images) Why French Ice Dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron Are at the Center of Olympic Controversy Laurence Fournier Beaudry and France’s Guillaume Cizeron compete in the figure skating team event ice dance-rhythm dance during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games on February 9, 2026 in Milan, Italy. “It is however incredibly difficult to make sport safer when survivors’ voices are still being silenced. I had to end my competitive career because I could no longer tolerate abuse. And now, as a result of speaking up about it I’ve lost my job,” she wrote. “I don’t single myself out as a victim. I use my experience to highlight a reality: as long as survivors are punished for speaking out, the sport cannot truly change or become safer. As the Winter Olympics unfold, I encourage you to engage critically with the spectacle. Spectators have power, and the way we choose to watch, support, question, or look away helps shape the culture of the sport.” Papadakis was hired as an NBC commentator for the Milan Cortina Games, but was fired from the gig amid the release of her book, as the network felt it was a conflict of interest with Cizeron competing. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of Team France skate during the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance on day eight of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Beijing, China. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Matthew Stockman/Getty “We respect Gabriella’s right to tell the story of her life and career. At the same time, her new book creates a clear conflict of interest,” NBC told The New York Times in a statement in January. “Our responsibility is to deliver coverage that our audience can trust to be free of bias — whether actual or perceived — and we regret that is no longer possible given the circumstances.” In a recent conversation with USA Today Sports’ Christine Brennan, Papadakis said she understands why survivors of abuse don’t speak out. “I think it’s a bigger societal issue because we often wonder why survivors don’t speak out about abuse and why things don’t change, and this is because it has tremendous negative impact on the survivors’ lives,” she said. “And as long as a society we don’t do anything to change that, things won’t change and ignoring the problems doesn’t make them go away.” Our new app is here! Free, fun and full of exclusives. Scan to download now! Cizeron’s new partner has also dealt with scandal. Beaudry paired up with him in March after her boyfriend and former skating partner Nikolaj Sørensen was suspended from the sport following a sexual assault allegation leveled by a coach and former skater. He has denied the allegation, according to CBC, and his six-year suspension was overturned in June. To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
Retired French ice dancer Gabriella Papadakis had just two words for her former partner’s gold medal win at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Papadakis, 30, skated with Guillaume Cizeron for years, and the two even won gold together in 2022. But earlier this year, she accused Cizeron, 31, of being “controlling” and “demanding” in the pages of her memoir So as Not to Disappear. So when Cizeron, 31, took home yet another free dance gold with his new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry on Feb. 11, Papadakis responded with an Instagram post featuring two well-known stress relievers: a glass of wine and a pack of cigarettes. “Logging off xxx,” she captioned the post. Cizeron has denied Papadakis’s claims against him, telling Reuters in a statement that he was the target of a “smear campaign” and would be pursuing legal action. But Papadakis has continued to defend her decision to speak out, writing in a Feb. 8 Instagram post that she was choosing to share her experiences in the sport “because I believe in a sport where young athletes don’t have to endure what I did in order to achieve their dreams.” Related Stories French Ice Dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron Win Gold amid Ongoing Controversy France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry (L) and France’s Guillaume Cizeron warm up before the figure skating ice dance-free dance final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 11, 2026. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images) Why French Ice Dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron Are at the Center of Olympic Controversy Laurence Fournier Beaudry and France’s Guillaume Cizeron compete in the figure skating team event ice dance-rhythm dance during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games on February 9, 2026 in Milan, Italy. “It is however incredibly difficult to make sport safer when survivors’ voices are still being silenced. I had to end my competitive career because I could no longer tolerate abuse. And now, as a result of speaking up about it I’ve lost my job,” she wrote. “I don’t single myself out as a victim. I use my experience to highlight a reality: as long as survivors are punished for speaking out, the sport cannot truly change or become safer. As the Winter Olympics unfold, I encourage you to engage critically with the spectacle. Spectators have power, and the way we choose to watch, support, question, or look away helps shape the culture of the sport.” Papadakis was hired as an NBC commentator for the Milan Cortina Games, but was fired from the gig amid the release of her book, as the network felt it was a conflict of interest with Cizeron competing. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of Team France skate during the Ice Dance Rhythm Dance on day eight of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Beijing, China. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Matthew Stockman/Getty “We respect Gabriella’s right to tell the story of her life and career. At the same time, her new book creates a clear conflict of interest,” NBC told The New York Times in a statement in January. “Our responsibility is to deliver coverage that our audience can trust to be free of bias — whether actual or perceived — and we regret that is no longer possible given the circumstances.” In a recent conversation with USA Today Sports’ Christine Brennan, Papadakis said she understands why survivors of abuse don’t speak out. “I think it’s a bigger societal issue because we often wonder why survivors don’t speak out about abuse and why things don’t change, and this is because it has tremendous negative impact on the survivors’ lives,” she said. “And as long as a society we don’t do anything to change that, things won’t change and ignoring the problems doesn’t make them go away.” Our new app is here! Free, fun and full of exclusives. Scan to download now! Cizeron’s new partner has also dealt with scandal. Beaudry paired up with him in March after her boyfriend and former skating partner Nikolaj Sørensen was suspended from the sport following a sexual assault allegation leveled by a coach and former skater. He has denied the allegation, according to CBC, and his six-year suspension was overturned in June. To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

Gabriella Papadakis won gold with Cizeron in the same event in 2022, four years before she accused him…