Current:Home > FinanceA 16-year-old died while working at a poultry plant in Mississippi-LoTradeCoin
A 16-year-old died while working at a poultry plant in Mississippi
View Date:2024-12-23 21:12:07
A teenager died while working underage at a Mississippi poultry plant last week, the third accidental death at the facility in less than three years.
Sixteen-year-old Duvan Robert Tomas Perez died while on the job at the Mar-Jac Poultry plant in Hattiesburg, Miss., last Friday. Forrest County Deputy Coroner Lisa Klem confirmed the where and when of Perez's death, but said she couldn't release specific details at the request of the family.
In a press release obtained by NPR, Mar-Jac Poultry said that a sanitation employee at the plant suffered a fatal injury when he "became entangled" in the one of the machines he was cleaning. According to the statement, the plant immediately notified the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and an investigation was launched with the company's full cooperation.
The statement did not mention Perez by name.
Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity (IAJE) spokesperson Jess Manrriquez told NPR that Perez and his family are indigenous Guatemalans who immigrated approximately six years ago.
"Workers are put in these conditions that are truly deplorable," Manrriquez said. "We've been hearing from folks on the ground that there is a lot of child labor that is happening at that poultry plant, so there's a lot that needs to be investigated. But right now, we just want to help the family through this process."
Lorena Quiroz, IAJE executive director, said in a written statement that the organization is asking OSHA and the Labor Department to conduct a statewide investigation to put an end to child labor and hazardous working conditions.
NPR reached out to OSHA for comment, but those calls went unreturned before publication.
Perez, who was going into the ninth grade, was too young to legally work at the plant, according to the Labor Department. Federal law requires workers to be at least 18 to work in meatpacking facilities due to the inherent dangers of the occupation.
Mar-Jac acknowledged in its statement that the employee was under 18 and never should have been hired.
"Mar-Jac MS would never knowingly put any employee, and certainly not a minor, in harm's way," the statement reads. "But it appears, at this point in the investigation, that this individual's age and identity were misrepresented on the paperwork."
The company said it's conducting a thorough audit with staffing companies used to bring on employees to ensure an incident like this "never happens again."
This was the third death at the Mar-Jac plant in less than three years. According to an open OSHA case, a staff member died as a result of "horse play" in December 2020. The Associated Press reported at the time that Joel Velasco Toto, 33, died from "abdominal and pelvic trauma caused by a compressed air injury."
Less than seven months later, Mississippi's WDAM 7 reported that 28-year-old Bobby Butler died in an accident involving heavy machinery in May 2021.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Two 'incredibly rare' sea serpents seen in Southern California waters months apart
- The market for hippo body parts is bigger than you think. Animal groups suing to halt trade
- Man facing gun and drug charges fatally shot outside Connecticut courthouse. Lawyer calls it a ‘hit’
- Megan Fox set the record straight on her cosmetic surgeries. More stars should do the same
- Are Ciara Ready and Russell Wilson Ready For Another Baby? She Says…
- Former Georgia insurance commissioner John Oxendine pleads guilty to health care fraud
- 2 Black officers allege discrimination at police department
- The Politics Behind the SEC’s New Climate Disclosure Rule—and What It Means for Investors
- Kirk Herbstreit berates LSU fans throwing trash vs Alabama: 'Enough is enough, clowns'
- Rick Barnes would rather not be playing former school Texas with Sweet 16 spot on line
Ranking
- John Krasinski named People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive
- California governor, celebrities and activists launch campaign to protect law limiting oil wells
- Kristin Cavallari’s Boyfriend Mark Estes Responds to Criticism Over Their 13-Year Age Gap
- What is '3 Body Problem'? Explaining Netflix's trippy new sci-fi and the three-body problem
- Subway rider who helped restrain man in NYC chokehold death says he wanted ex-Marine to ‘let go’
- Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, breaking record, CDC says
- Recent assaults, attempted attacks against Congress and staffers raise concerns
- George Santos says he’ll ditch GOP, run as independent, in bid to return to Congress after expulsion
Recommendation
-
New York eyes reviving congestion pricing toll before Trump takes office
-
Regina King Offers Sweet Gesture to Jimmy Kimmel During Conversation After Her Son's Death
-
DC attorney general argues NHL’s Capitals, NBA’s Wizards must play in Washington through 2047
-
California’s Climate Leaders Vow to Hold Fossil Fuel Companies to Account
-
Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
-
Behold, Kermitops: Fossil named after Kermit the Frog holds clues to amphibian evolution
-
Judge expects ruling on jurisdiction, broadcasting rights in ACC-Florida State fight before April 9
-
Water beads pose huge safety risk for kids, CPSC says, after 7,000 ER injuries reported