A 16-year-old boy died while working at a poultry plant in Mississippi in what authorities term an on-the-job accident.

The incident occurred around 8 pm on July 14 at the Hattiesburg Mar-Jac Poultry plant. Lisa Klem, Forrest County Deputy Coroner, confirmed the death.

Family members and authorities identified the victim as Duvan Tomas Perez, a middle school student originally from Guatemala.

Child labor laws prohibit individuals younger than 18 from working in poultry plants due to risks. This violation has triggered investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division. Spokespersons for these agencies confirmed that any company found to be in breach of regulations could face a federal fine exceeding $30,000 per incident.

The precise cause of the teenager’s death has been attributed to equipment in the plant, as determined by Lisa Klem. Another worker heard the boy scream “Help, Help”, but it was too late to save him. More information about the incident and the exact circumstances leading to the fatality will be released following the disclosure of the autopsy results.

Authorities have initiated an investigation to ascertain the cause of Perez’s death. The findings from these investigations will highlight any potential compliance lapses and aid in implementing appropriate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

It’s not the first time that a worker died from injuries in an accident at the Mar-Jac facility. In May 2021, an employee was killed when he got caught in the factory’s machinery.