Miami police are investigating the unexplained death of Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, a 32-year-old Florida doctor who was found dead inside a walk-in freezer at a Dollar Tree store in Little Havana on Sunday morning, December 14, 2025. The discovery has raised serious questions about how she entered a restricted area and why she remained there overnight.
Officers were called to the Dollar Tree located at 968 Southwest Eighth Street, Miami, at approximately 8 am after a store employee found Sanchez unresponsive inside the freezer while opening the store. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed that Sanchez was not employed by the store.
According to police, Sanchez entered the store on Saturday night shortly before closing time. Surveillance footage shows she did not buy anything and instead walked toward the back of the store, an area meant only for staff. Investigators believe she accessed the freezer on her own and remained inside throughout the night.
Police said there were no signs of forced entry, violence, or struggle, and the freezer door did not appear damaged. Because investigators have not yet identified a clear cause, the death has been classified as unexplained while forensic and medical examinations continue.
Sanchez was originally from Nicaragua and worked as a physician specializing in anesthesiology, with a focus on congenital heart disease. Colleagues and family members described her as compassionate, driven, and deeply committed to her profession.
She was also the mother of two young children, who currently live in Nicaragua. Family members said her children were the center of her life and that she worked tirelessly to support them through her medical career in the United States.
Following her death, relatives launched a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of returning Sanchez’s body to Nicaragua so funeral services can be held there. Messages shared by the family describe her as a loving mother and a dedicated doctor whose sudden death has left her family devastated.
Support poured in from friends, colleagues, and community members who expressed shock and grief over the loss of a young physician whose life ended under tragic circumstances.
The Dollar Tree store remained closed for several hours on Sunday as police examined the scene, reviewed surveillance footage, and interviewed employees. The store later reopened once investigators completed their initial work. Dollar Tree corporate officials have not released a public statement about the incident.
Miami police are continuing to investigate how Sanchez accessed the restricted area and whether any security lapses played a role. Authorities are also reviewing her movements before she arrived at the store and whether she may have been experiencing personal distress. Officials say the investigation remains open as they work to understand the final hours of a doctor whose death has left behind unanswered questions and grieving children.
(Rh/ARC)
