- A Texas family is seeking answers after their matriarch died in a forklift accident at a Walmart center in Fort Worth
- Elena Rios, 68, was impaled by a forklift, but her family only learned of her death after hearing it on the news
- Walmart has now set up an internal investigation with the family determined to uncover the truth as they consider legal action against the company
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Elena Rios, 68, was impaled by a forklift, but her family only learned of her death after hearing it on the news
A North Texas family struggles with the loss of their beloved matriarch after she was impaled by a forklift in a fatal workplace accident.
Elena Rios, 68, was killed while working at a Walmart distribution center in Fort Worth last month.
Fort Worth Fire Department officials said she ended up crushed between a forklift and a pallet rack.
Elena, mother of four and grandmother of 13, had worked for Walmart for 10 years and was certified to operate forklifts and other heavy machinery.
She had been operating the forklift at the time of the accident.
Shockingly, the family first heard about the fatal accident on the news and received conflicting information about what happened.
The family still does not know exactly what caused Elena’s death.
The results of her autopsy have not been released, leaving the family with more questions than answers.
Granddaughter, Danielle Rios, recalled how the couple would go shopping together as they planned to celebrate special occasions
Fort Worth Fire Department officials said Elena was crushed between a forklift and a pallet rack at the distribution center, located at 15101 North Beach Street in north Fort Worth
A Walmart spokesperson has offered condolences to the family and tried to reassure them that an internal investigation is underway in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Walmart officials said in a statement that the company was ‘devastated by the death of one of our employees.’
Walmart closed the facility the day after Elena was killed and offered counseling “and other resources to our employees as they deal with this tragic event,” the statement said.
But the family is unhappy with what they say is a complete lack of communication and transparency.
Elena, was a mother of four and grandmother of 13. She had worked for Walmart for 10 years and was certified to operate forklifts and other heavy machinery when she was killed on the job
On the day of the accident, which occurred on February 16, Elena had planned to attend her 18-year-old grandson’s college softball game after finishing her shift at Walmart. Unfortunately, she never got that chance.
In their quest to find some form of closure, the family now has launched a websiteas they appeal to the public for any information or leads regarding the tragic accident.
Her family says Elena loved them deeply. Her granddaughter, Danielle Rios, recalled how the couple would go shopping together when they planned to celebrate special occasions and how they used to visit the casino together for fun.
‘She took me to the casino for my first time. We did a lot together every weekend,” Danielle shared NBC5.
Elena’s daughter, Bianca Villanueva, described her mother as being the cornerstone of the family.
“My mother was everything to me, my siblings, to my children … to the rest of the grandchildren,” Bianca said.
Bianca says managers at Walmart did not immediately inform the family of Elena’s death, even though she was listed as an emergency contact.
This has caused the family to press for answers with the possibility of legal action.
“I want to know what happened,” Bianca added. ‘I miss her. And I just want to know why.’