Earlier this month, the New Iberia Police Department in Louisiana revealed that an employee had been found dead in the freezer of an Arby’s restaurant. She was the restaurant manager, per reports.
Now, that employee’s family is suing the fast food company and franchise owner for $1 million, according to a Law & Crime report.
Pierce Skrabanek law firm in Houston, who is representing the family, identified the deceased as 63-year-old Nguyet Le. According to the firm, Le’s cause of death is unknown, pending a full autopsy.
However, attorney Paul Skrabanek told KFLY that a police report regarding the incident indicates that Le got caught in the freezer and tried “to beat on the door until her hands were bloody.” He said there was blood covering the freezer door and that Le had collapsed into the fetal position and froze face-first into the floor by the time she was found at approximately 6:20 p.m. May 11 at 1120 East Admiral Doyle Drive.
Although the law firm noted that investigators do not believe foul play played a role in Le’s death, it also said “the accidental death still appears to be suspicious,” and police are taking extra precautions in their investigation.
“A situation like the one that befell Nguyet Le and her family is unacceptable,” said the law firm. “Depending on the outcome of the investigation, it may be possible to sue Arby’s for issues of premises liability, workers’ compensation, and wrongful death.”
While police in New Iberia said the situation is unusual, it is not the first time a body has been found in a commercial freezer. In 2017, the body of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins was found in a freezer at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Rosemont, Ill., just outside of Chicago.
“Over the years there have been many deaths of people who have been locked inside a freezer,” said the Journal & Topics. “They normally die of extreme cold, inhaling lethal fumes or of suffocation.”
According to the Pierce Skrabanek law firm, potential dangers related to freezer facilities include: becoming trapped or pinned, life threatening temperatures and negligent upkeep.
“We are aware of the incident that took place at our franchised location in New Iberia, LA. The franchisee is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation. Due to this being an active investigation, we defer any further comment to the police department,” said Arby’s in a statement, per the law firm.
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