Authorities are investigating the death of a female restaurant employee after her body was found in the walk-in freezer of an Arby’s in Louisiana.
An employee made the discovery at around 6:30 pm local time on Thursday night at the New Iberia restaurant about 130 miles west of New Orleans. The restaurant was closed on Friday as police began their investigations.
While the death was initially considered “suspicious,” New Iberia Police Captain Leland Laseter informed a local news outlet in Lafayette that he believed it could have been an accident. He stated that the police had taken additional precautions due to the unusual nature of the situation and had completed their process at the crime scene. After processing the crime scene, it was concluded that the incident did not seem like a homicide but more like an accident. Despite this, the coroner’s office is working to verify the woman’s identity and cause of death. However, Laseter did confirm that the woman was a manager at the restaurant.
Police interviewed several restaurant employees following the discovery, and according to the police captain, some may be interviewed again.
The circumstances surrounding the woman’s death are unsettling and have sparked concern among the community and restaurant employees. How the woman ended up in the walk-in freezer or what caused her death remains unclear. Arby’s released a statement expressing its sympathy for the deceased’s family and stating that they fully cooperate with the police investigation.
The police are awaiting autopsy results, which are expected to take several days.
