Overview

• A middle-aged homeless woman was discovered partially stuck inside a pink clothing donation bin on West Federated Roadway in Plantation, Florida, on the morning of June 27 and was pronounced dead at the scene.
• The Plantation Police Department said the incident appears to be an accident and has opened a full investigation while her identity remains unreleased pending next-of-kin notification.
• Authorities believe the woman became trapped after reaching through the self-closing hatch to retrieve clothes or shoes from the charity bin located near a children’s learning center.
• More than 20 similar deaths have been recorded in the US and Canada since 2007, with research and engineers warning that current bin designs can entrap users and cause suffocation or hypothermia.
• Advocacy groups and experts are urging regulators and operators to adopt engineering fixes such as smaller openings, interior release handles and motion sensors to prevent further tragedies.