A 16-year-old boy from Guatemala has died as a result of a workplace accident at a poultry plant in Mississippi, authorities said Tuesday.
It happened around 8:00 p.m. July 14 at the Mar-Jac poultry plant in Hattiesburg, Forrest County Deputy Coroner Lisa Klem said.
Workers under the age of 18 are not allowed to work in poultry plants because it is considered too dangerous and therefore a violation of child labor laws.
He Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division have launched investigations into the incident, a spokesman said. Any business found to be in violation could face a federal fine of more than $30,000 per incident.
The death was caused by the plant’s team, Klem said, adding that the autopsy results will be released on Wednesday.
A worker who was on duty at the time of the accident said he heard the boy scream for help, but it was too late.
“Twice he started yelling, ‘Help! Help!’” the worker said.
“I knew he was dead,” the worker added.
The victim, identified by local authorities and a relative as Duván Tomás Pérez, was a high school student who came to this country from the town of Huispache about six years ago.
“We are very sad,” said the relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are facing a pending immigration issue. «He was generous, smiling and very funny and very responsible at work.»
Joe Colee, Mar-Jac’s facilities manager, said in a statement that «our employees are our most valuable asset and safety is our number one priority.»
“We strive every day to work as safely as possible and we are truly devastated every time an employee is injured,” he added.
Colee also acknowledged OSHA’s investigation and said the company is cooperating fully.
“Any issues identified in the investigation will be corrected immediately,” Colee said.
The incident marked the second time in two years that a worker at the plant has died from injuries sustained in an accident.
In May 2021, an employee was killed when he became pinned «partially under» a machine after it caught on his sleeve, according to OSHA records.
OSHA fined Mar-Jac $27,306, but the company disputed this and the case continues.
Debbie Berkowitz, a former Obama administration OSHA official, said the company has a «horrible safety record» and previously «fought to stop OSHA from seeking safety violations after previous serious injuries.»
An OSHA compliance log from October 2021 notes that inspectors who went to the company’s Georgia location were unable to complete an inspection because they were denied entry.
Mar-Jac did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the 2021 death.
The latest incident comes as the Biden administration is cracking down on child labor violations involving migrants.
NBC News reported last month that a federal investigation into Guatemalan children working in the US in violation of child labor laws has expanded to include meatpacking and produce companies that have allegedly hired underage immigrants. in at least 11 states.