Support has poured in for the family of Gursimran Kaur, a 19-year-old Walmart employee found dead earlier this month in a walk-in oven at a Canadian Walmart store. The Maritime Sikh Society, to which Ms Kaur's family belongs, announced in an update on their GoFundMe page on Friday, October 25, that they had raised over $194,949 to assist her "bereaved family," some of whom had been in India and were working to travel to Canada for her funeral.
"We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has donated to support Gursimran Kaur's family during this unimaginable time. Your kindness and generosity have been a source of strength for the family as they navigate through this tragedy," a representative of the group shared.
The society also announced that they would "turn off donations" to begin "distributing the funds to the family," with the contributions intended to support them in the coming steps.
"... We cannot thank you enough for standing with them during this painful period," the representative continued. "Thank you again for your support, compassion, and for being a part of this effort to help Gursimran's family in their time of need."
According to Halifax Regional Police, Ms Kaur was found dead inside an oven in the bakery section of a Halifax Walmart on the night of Saturday, October 19.
The Maritime Sikh Society described Kaur as "a young beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams." She had been at the store with her mother, who, after losing contact with her for an hour, eventually found her inside the oven. Both Kaur and her mother had been employed at the Walmart store for two years.
Constable Martin Cromwell told PEOPLE on Oct. 25 that police have not yet determined how Kaur entered the oven, noting that the investigation is "complex."
