Cal/OSHA investigates death of mother who died at UPS workplace

Family wants answers about mother's death at UPS facility in Richmond

The family of Shelma Reyna wants to know what happened leading up to her death inside a container she was loading up with boxes Sunday.

RICHMOND - The questions about how Shelma Reyna came to die inside a container while loading boxes from a conveyor belt Sunday at her UPS job, are continuing to haunt her five children and other family members, as they grieve for a woman they dearly loved.

What they're saying:

"My mom works two jobs to take care of five kids," Aldo Icazbalceta, Reyna's eldest son said. "My mom was a humble lady. She never asked for a handout, she never begged. She was a soldier, she was a warrior. She always tended to her kids." 

Police say they received a call around 4:00 p.m. Sunday. A coworker reported finding Reyna unresponsive at the back of a container underneath boxes.

Police say they spoke with the shift supervisor at the UPS warehouse at 1601 Atlas Road and requested that UPS share any relevant surveillance footage that is stored off-site.

The backstory:

Shelma Reyna of Richmond had worked at the warehouse since last fall, according to her ex-husband Juan Icazbalceta, who teared up as he spoke.

"I feel horrible. I started crying and I can't believe it," Juan Icazbalceta, the victim's ex-husband, said. "It's like a nightmare."

Lt. Donald Patchin, a spokesperson for the Richmond Police Department, says at this point, it appears to be an industrial accident.

"The initial reports show the employee was in the container alone," Patchin said. "Officers were looking for video. I don't know if any was found and they were going to interview witnesses."

Police say investigators also are waiting for autopsy results to determine the time and cause of Reyna's death.

Family members say they've heard from other UPS workers that Reyna might have been in the container for up to four hours before she was found by another employee.

Lt. Patchin says investigators will determine whether there was any crime such as gross negligence. If there is no evidence of a crime, then CAL/OSHA will continue investigating.

"They would be the lead agency as far as whether there were any protocols, safety concerns that were not followed," Patchin said. "They would be the ones investigating that part of it."

In a statement Tuesday, Cal/OSHA said it "has up to six months to issue citations if any violations of workplace safety regulations are identified."

Big picture view:

The UPS Teamsters Local 315 out of Martinez posted a statement on the union website saying:

"Teamsters Local 315 is diligently working with CAL/OSHA and the Sheriffs’ Department to find out the true cause of this incident and to make sure our Teamsters members are all protected," said Alberto Ruiz, President of Local 315. "Our condolences go out to her family."

Also Icazbalceta and his father Juan say they want answers.

Aldo is the eldest of the siblings, followed by his 17-year-old brother, a 10-year-old and twin 8-year-old siblings.

"I would like to know what happened at the moment. Because it's not fair for anyone," said Juan Icazbalceta, adding that Reyna's death has devastated her children. "They hurt, they cry every day. They feel bad. They're still waiting for their mom."

"It's not just some lady. It's a mother, somebody's daughter, aunt," Icazbalceta said. "It's somebody's world."

A fundraising site has been set up to help Reyna's children.