Atlanta woman dies after getting trapped in hotel freezer

'It appears that there was some type of mechanism to allow anyone who was inside to be able to exit'

Atlanta's Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel (AAK/Wikimedia)

A kitchen worker has died after becoming trapped in a walk-in freezer at a hotel for 13 hours.

A search for Carolyn Robinson began after she failed to return home from her shift at Atlanta's Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel.

When investigators reviewed the hotel’s surveillance footage, the 61-year-old was seen entering the freezer at around 8pm on Monday. Her frozen body was found just after 9am the following day.

Lieutenant Charles Hampton said there was evidence the woman had tried to get out of the freezer.

“Right now there does not appear to be any foul play," he said.

“It appears that there was some type of mechanism to allow anyone who was inside to be able to exit."

He added that he did not know whether this was working correctly at the time of the incident.

A statement from the hotel said staff were devastated by the tragic loss of Mrs Robinson, a long-serving employee.

It read: “We are working closely with the authorities in their investigation, and we are providing whatever support that we can for her family.”

Meanwhile, Lt Hampton said police were awaiting an autopsy to confirm whether the woman had a medical condition which may have prevented her escape.