'We cannot thank you enough': GoFundMe for family of Halifax Walmart employee hits $190K

The GoFundMe page for the family of an employee found dead at a Halifax Walmart last weekend has paused donations after almost $200,000 was raised in roughly 24 hours.

The Maritime Sikh Society created the fundraiser to support the family of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur, or Simran as she was known to her close family and friends.

The society had hoped to raise $50,000 through the page and that target was reached within just 10 hours. As of 1 p.m. Friday, $194,949 had been raised for Kaur’s family – or 390 per cent of the fundraising goal.

“At this time, we have decided to turn off donations as we begin the process of distributing the funds to the family,” said the Maritime Sikh Society in an update on the GoFundMe page.

“Your contributions will help them in their next steps, and we cannot thank you enough for standing with them during this painful period.”

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The society says the funds will help the family with funeral expenses and costs associated with bringing Kaur’s family, particularly her father and brother, over from India.

“We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has donated to support Gursimran Kaur’s family during this unimaginable time,” said the society in the statement.

“Your kindness and generosity have been a source of strength for the family as they navigate through this tragedy.”

Halifax Regional Police respond to a sudden death at the Walmart on Mumford Road on Oct. 20, 2024. (CTV/Jim Kvammen)

Kaur’s mother found her body

Halifax Regional Police responded to the Walmart on Mumford Road around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 19.

Police confirmed on Tuesday the woman’s body was found inside a large walk-in oven in the store’s bakery department.

Balbir Singh, secretary of the Maritime Sikh Society, told CTV News Kaur and her mother moved to Nova Scotia about three years ago and her mother also worked at the store on Mumford Road.

Singh says the woman’s mother was also working that night and she grew concerned when she hadn’t seen her daughter for more than an hour and couldn’t reach her by phone.

She started searching the store for her daughter and eventually found her in the oven.

“The mom is shattered. She’s psychologically in pain, agony. She definitely needs help and support from the community and immediate family members,” Singh told CTV News on Thursday.

“She is still in a really bad state of mind, but yes, she’s getting all the counselling. We are providing the psychological counselling, and we are trying best to get whatever possible support.”

Singh says Walmart has reached out to Kaur’s mother to offer her counselling through the company.

Family wants police to release more details

While police have confirmed the woman was found inside a walk-in oven, no other details about the ongoing investigation have been released, including the manner and cause of death.

Police have said the investigation is complex, involves several partner agencies, and is expected to take “a significant amount of time.”

"The investigation is ongoing and we do not have any updates to provide at this time," said Halifax Regional Police Const. Martin Cromwell in a statement to CTV News on Friday.

Kaur’s family says they want Halifax police to issue regular updates on the case to quell the rumours circulating online.

“This is impacting the family because when you see all this stuff on the social media that mostly is not true, and then it really it impacts the family,” said Singh, who noted the family granted permission to share the details posted on the GoFundMe page.

“So that’s why we are asking the police to come up with any updates. Telling people, telling the public, that will really help.”

Halifax police declined to comment on the family’s request for more information to be released.

A memorial is seen outside a Walmart store in Halifax on Oct. 23, 2024. A female employee was found dead inside the store on Oct. 19, 2024. (Hafsa Arif/CTV Atlantic)

Store remains closed

Meanwhile, the store remains closed while the investigation continues.

The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration has also issued a stop-work order for the bakery and “one piece of equipment.”

Walmart says employees will continue to be paid while the store is closed.

“Associates will continue to be paid for the shifts they’re scheduled to work during the store closure,” said the company in a statement to CTV News on Wednesday.

“We will consider alternate work arrangements in the event the store remains closed for a longer-than-anticipated period of time.”

There is no word on when the store might reopen.

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