Teenage Boy Dies in Accident at Poultry Plant in Hattiesburg

A tragic accident at a poultry plant in Hattiesburg, Mississippi has claimed the life of a teenage boy. The incident occurred on July 14 at around 8 p.m. at the Mar-Jac Poultry-MS processing plant.

According to a press release from the company, the accident took place while an employee was "conducting sanitation operations." Sadly, the young worker succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The employee has been identified as a 16-year-old Hispanic male from Hattiesburg by Forrest County Deputy Coroner Lisa Klem.

Due to his age and an ongoing investigation, authorities have chosen not to disclose his name publicly. However, friends and family of the teenager have shared their grief on social media posts identifying him as Duvan Pérez. At the time of his death, Pérez was attending school in the Hattiesburg Public School District.

The cause of death is still pending autopsy results.

Mar-Jac Poultry expressed their condolences through complex manager Joe Colee in their press release: "Our employees are our most valuable asset, and safety is our No. 1 priority," said Colee. He further added that they strive daily to work as safely as possible and are devastated whenever an employee is injured or killed.

Authorities are now investigating how a minor managed to secure employment at Mar-Jac Poultry since federal law prohibits individuals under 18 years old from working in meat and poultry plants due to potential hazards declared by the Department of Labor. Specifically, activities such as sanitizing meat and poultry plant equipment are considered hazardous for underage workers according to Fair Labor Standards Act regulations.

Several agencies have launched investigations into this tragic incident including Hattiesburg police, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, and other relevant authorities.

This is not the first fatal accident to occur at the Mar-Jac Poultry plant in Hattiesburg. Over the past three years, there have been a total of three deaths, including this recent incident, as well as one amputation. OSHA has previously cited the company for four safety violations in separate incidents during 2020 and 2021. Currently, all three incidents remain open with OSHA.

The investigations will shed light on what led to this tragic accident and whether any negligence or safety concerns contributed to it.

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