A grim discovery at a Miami Dollar Tree has escalated into a massive legal battle. Max Antonio Garay, acting as the representative for the estate of Helen Massiell Garay Sanchez, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking over $50 million in damages.
The complaint, filed last Wednesday in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County, names both Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. and an individual, Yanelkis Gonzalez, as defendants following the tragic death of the 32-year-old mother and anesthesiologist.
The incident unfolded in late 2025 when employees arriving for their morning shift at the SW Eighth Street location found Sanchez unresponsive inside the store’s walk-in freezer.
While local police initially indicated that foul play was not suspected, the lawsuit suggests a deep failure in safety protocols and oversight. Investigators believe Sanchez, a native of Nicaragua, entered the store the previous evening and made her way into a restricted employee area where she remained trapped overnight.
READ: AG Pam Bondi Wins Court Battle To Deport Convicted North Dakota Armed Robber
For the survivors—which include Sanchez’s partner and two minor children—the legal action is about more than just the money; it’s an attempt to find out how a customer could end up dead in a high-traffic retail environment without anyone noticing.
The store had remained closed for several hours after the body was found while the Medical Examiner processed the scene, leaving local shoppers in shock.
As the case moves toward a jury trial, the focus will likely turn to whether the “employee-only” zones were properly secured and why a human being was left behind in freezing conditions.
Dollar Tree has previously stated they are cooperating with authorities, but they now face a grueling defense against allegations of negligence that led to this “unclassified death.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
