I don't think it's more complicated than that they accidentally killed the yeast. Some recipes call for you to add the yeast to lukewarm water. But what I did once when I was around 12 was put the yeast into boiling water then wait for the water to become lukewarm and then add the flour. Of course that kills the yeast so the bread I got was basically that picture.
It could even be an innocent mistake like leaving the yeast package in a really hot car which can also kill the yeast. Or who knows the yeast may have been dead already in the store and this person has done absolutely nothing wrong.
