Woman killed by mixer at Sandy grocery store remembered as 'best mom in the world'


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SANDY — Even in death, Carmen "Jackie" Lindhardt thought of her family first, just as she did throughout her life, her sister says.

"It's like she knew that something was going to happen to her," said Maria Silva on Thursday. "She knew any time because she was ready for it. She left everything ready for her son. She left an envelope and life insurance letters for him (saying), 'Do this, do that.'"

Lindhardt, 45, of Murray, died Wednesday morning after accidentally getting pulled into in an industrial-size mixer in the bakery at Reams Food Store in Sandy, police said.

Her hand or part of her clothing likely got caught in the machine, dragging her in, said Sandy Police Sgt. Dean Carriger. Lindhardt's death is being examined by workplace safety investigators, the sergeant said.

Her unexpected passing leaves an irreparable hole in her family, especially that of her 18-year-old son, Silva said.

"Her son was her life. She'd do everything and anything for him," she said. "She tried to do (her) best … to make sure her son got a good life."

Lindhardt liked to push herself and was enrolled in college, her sister recalls.

"(She was) always smiling, working, trying to be a better person, trying to help everybody," Silva said. "That's who she was. The best mother in the world. And that's how I want people to (remember) her."

Despite her death, Lindhardt will continue to make her presence known in her family members' lives, Silva said.

"Absolutely she's going to be around," she said.

Lindhardt moved from Uruguay to Utah in 2005 and had worked at Reams for roughly two to three years, according to Silva, who said she was disappointed in the way the grocery store handled the fatal industrial accident.

Silva said she wasn't notified of her sister's death for about three hours and that nobody from the store "called to say, 'Sorry."

"She wasn't a machine," Silva said. "Besides … an employee, she was a mother, sister, a friend, a daughter."

Silva is now worried the equipment her sister used might be a danger to others.

Woman killed by mixer at Sandy grocery store remembered as 'best mom in the world'

"I just want Reams, or detectives or police or whoever … to look for what happened," she said. "I don't (want) other (families) going through what we are going through right now."

Reams issued a statement Thursday responding to the incident.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the Lindhardt family at this difficult time," the statement reads. "We are working closely with the Sandy Police Department as they continue investigating this accident. The care, safety and well-being of our team members are of the utmost importance to us."

Despite the abrupt incident that took Lindhardt's life, Silva insists she and her family "will get through this."

Memories of Lindhardt have also provided comfort.

"She (loved) to be happy and smile and be around people that love her," Silva said. "She was a special person."

The family has set up a GoFundMe* account for those that would like to donate.

Contributing: Ashley Moser

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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