Louisiana manager Arby’s family found dead in freezer reveal how she knocked on door until her hands were bloody before her SON found her in fetal position – as they chase restaurant giant fast because “the latch was broken”
- Nguyet Le, 63, was alone in the restaurant around 9 a.m. on May 11 preparing for the store to open and became trapped inside the walk-in freezer.
- Le’s son, who also worked at the fast food joint, made the grim discovery
- The mother-of-four and grandmother had worked at a Houston Arby and was temporarily sent by the company to New Iberia, Louisiana.
The family of a Louisiana Arby manager who froze to death in a walk-in freezer is now suing the fast-food giant over allegations that employees complained the latch was broken on the door.
Nguyet Le, 63, was alone in the restaurant around 9 a.m. on May 11 preparing for the opening of the store when she became trapped inside the cooler. His son, who also works for the Arbys, made the horrific discovery.
New Iberia police said there were bloodstains on the doors that showed she was trying to escape, but eventually collapsed in a fetal position. A preliminary report from the coroner’s office confirmed that the mother of four died of hypothermia.
Lawyer Paul Skrabanek, who represents the family, is calling for a formal investigation into the restaurant’s alleged freezer malfunctions. He was told by a former employee that the cooler latch hadn’t worked properly since August and the problem was known and ignored by management.
He said the family is suing, in part, because their inquiries with Arby allegedly went unanswered. The family is seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Nguyet Le, 63, general manager of an Arby’s in New Iberia Louisiana froze to death on May 11, 2023 after becoming trapped in the restaurant’s freezer while performing opening duties
The inside of the freezer at Arby’s and where Le, a mother of four and grandmother, was trapped inside and eventually died of hypothermia, according to a preliminary coroner’s report
Nguyet Le is pictured with her son, who also worked at Arby’s in New Iberia, and the person who discovered his mother’s body
A former male employee, who did not want to be identified, said KATC News that several work orders have been submitted to repair the broken latch.
He had also taken pictures inside the freezer from previous complaints.
“They know about it,” he said. “The workers complained.”
It is unknown what the temperature was the day Le was trapped inside and how long she fought to survive.
The freezer is supposed to be negative 10 degrees by Arby’s standards, according to the former employee, but said the temperature was kept below that.
“I believe she got stuck in the freezer door and no one was there to help her,” he said.
According to the lawsuit, employees used a screwdriver to open and close the cold room latch, according to a former Arby employee.
The lawsuit also alleges that the employees used to open the door with an oil can because they didn’t want it to close completely.
The site of the location of the New Iberia Arby where General Manager Le was trapped inside the cold room on May 11
The lawsuit filed against Turbo Restaurants, LLC, under the umbrella of Arby’s Restaurant Group
Family seeks over $1 million in damages
Le, who worked as a general manager at Arby’s in Houston, Skrabanek, was asked by franchise headquarters to travel to New Iberia to help run that location.
She was nearing the end of her temporary assignment, having been there for nearly a month to six weeks.
DailyMail.com has contacted Arby’s for comment.
