32-Year-Old Doctor Found Dead in Miami Dollar Tree Store — Details

"I think it's crazy. I've never heard of something like that in my life," a local resident told the press.

On the morning of December 14, 2025, police were called to a Dollar Tree store in Miami after a woman’s lifeless body was found in a freezer — not one near the food section, but a commercial freezer located deep in the back where store patrons are never allowed.

What followed was a scene of confusion and a growing sense of unease as investigators and residents alike tried to make sense of how this could have possibly happened.

A Chilling Discovery in the Back Room

At around 8 a.m. on Sunday, officers from the City of Miami Police Department responded to a distress call from the Dollar Tree store at 968 SW 8th Street in Little Havana.

An employee had discovered a dead woman in one of the store’s freezers and immediately contacted authorities.

When police arrived, they found the victim completely naked in that cold place. She wasn’t an employee. No one on staff recognized her, and the freezer wasn’t accessible to customers.

Still, somehow, she had ended up there.

Video of the scene shows first responders entering the back of the store with medical equipment and gloved hands.

Later, the woman was identified as Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, a 32-year-old mother and doctor who had walked into the store the previous night, according to surveillance footage.

Detectives believe she entered willingly and made her way to the restricted employee area. She never made a purchase but stayed there the whole night. Her body was only discovered the next morning, when staff returned to open the store.

Authorities are treating the case as an unclassified death due to the bizarre and unclear circumstances. Though foul play has already been ruled out, that has done little to quiet the swirl of speculation.

Confusion and Grief Ripple Through the Community

The Little Havana community has been shaken by the strange and tragic loss. Locals who had come out that Sunday morning expecting a normal shopping trip were instead met with a crime scene.

Resident Margarita Puig told the press she was devastated by the discovery and couldn’t believe something like this had happened inside a Dollar Tree.

Hugo Morales echoed the disbelief. “I think it’s crazy,” he said. “I’ve never heard of something like that in my life.”

Online, speculation exploded. Some Facebookers were convinced something more sinister had happened. “She was put in there. That freezer isn’t part of the store. It’s in the back where customers shouldn’t be,” one person wrote.

Another asked, “Wouldn’t security cameras show how she ended up in there?” One person questioned, “Don’t deep freezers all have an emergency latch on the inside to prevent this from happening since it’s happened so many times in the past?”

Someone else agreed, “All freezers in a restaurant can be open from inside!” One more added, “There’s no way in 2025 there’s a walk-in freezer out there that doesn’t have handles on both sides. At least since Bobby Brady got stuck in Sam’s walk-in freezer.”

A Family’s Plea for Support

As the investigation continues, Garay Sanchez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign, revealing a life that was full of love, dedication, and purpose.

Originally from Nicaragua, she was an anesthesiologist specializing in congenital heart disease and had two young children who still live in her home country. Her family described her as kind, talented, and deeply committed to her patients.

They are now trying to raise enough funds to bring her body back home for a proper burial surrounded by loved ones. “Any contribution, no matter the amount, will help honor her life and legacy and support her children during this devastating time,” the family wrote.

So far, the fundraiser has collected just over $16,000 toward a goal of $20,000.

As unanswered questions linger and the community continues to reel from this tragedy, all that remains is the hope that clarity will come soon and that this grieving family can find peace.