Tragic Death of 16-Year-Old Worker Sparks Federal Probes and Rekindles Debate on Child Labor Laws

Tragic-Death-of-16-Year-Old-Worker-Sparks-Federal-Probes-and-Rekindles-Debate-on-Child-Labor-Laws
Tragic Death of 16-Year-Old Worker Sparks Federal Probes and Rekindles Debate on Child Labor Laws

In a devastating incident at a poultry processing plant in Hattiesburg, Miss., a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy lost his life after becoming ensnared in the machinery he was hired to clean. 


The tragic death of Duvan Pérez has prompted two federal investigations, raising concerns over child labor practices and workplace safety.


Authorities made the grim discovery of Pérez's body trapped in a conveyor belt around 8 p.m. on a Friday. An autopsy performed by Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict confirmed that Pérez's death resulted from fatal injuries caused by workplace equipment. Further details from the autopsy are yet to be released, pending a pathologist's examination.


Shockingly, Pérez's death marks the third fatality at the Mar-Jac Poultry plant in as many years, according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) data. These incidents underscore the pressing need for improved safety measures in hazardous industries.


Just two weeks before Pérez's tragedy, another 16-year-old boy lost his life in a workplace-related incident at a Wisconsin sawmill. 


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These incidents have reignited debates on child labor laws, as some Republican lawmakers push for relaxed protections, despite a surge in high-profile cases involving mostly migrant children working in dangerous industries.


Liz Shuler, the president of AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, voiced her concerns on social media, questioning how many more children must suffer such tragedies. She emphasized that any attempt to undermine child labor laws is a disgrace in the year 2023.


Federal law has prohibited anyone under 18 from working in "particular hazardous" or "detrimental" occupations since 1938. This includes operating or cleaning machinery in meat and poultry processing plants. 


However, disturbingly, the Labor Department has recorded a 69 percent increase in children employed in violation of these laws since 2018. 


Fiscal year 2022 saw the highest number of incidents involving over 3,800 illegally hired children, with 688 working in hazardous occupations.


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Last year, a federal investigation revealed numerous migrant children hired to sanitize meatpacking plants across the country. 


These children described grueling night shifts involving the use of industrial-grade chemicals to clean dangerous machinery, resulting in chemical burns and sleep deprivation that affected their education.


Following Pérez's tragic death, both OSHA and the Wage and Hour Division of the Labor Department have initiated investigations. Local law enforcement in Hattiesburg is also conducting a probe into the incident.


Mar-Jac Poultry, the company where Pérez worked, expressed deep sorrow over the teenager's death and acknowledged that Pérez should not have been hired. 


The company relies on staffing agencies for hiring, with age and immigration status verified through the government's E-Verify system. 


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However, investigations are ongoing to determine any misrepresentations or discrepancies in the hiring process.


Tragically, Pérez's death is not the first fatal incident at Mar-Jac Poultry's Hattiesburg plant. In recent years, two other employees lost their lives in workplace-related accidents, leading to fines and citations from OSHA.


In Hattiesburg, a city deeply impacted by Pérez's death, the loss has reverberated profoundly. Pérez, who had migrated to the United States six years prior, was a loving family member, a gym enthusiast, and an avid music listener. 


The Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity, a Jackson-based nonprofit organization, mourned Pérez's passing and expressed solidarity with Latinx and Indigenous families who seek a better life in the United States.


The tragic loss of Duvan Pérez has shed light on the urgent need for better protection of young workers and improved safety standards in hazardous industries. 


As the investigations continue, there is hope that his death will serve as a catalyst for meaningful change and greater vigilance in preventing such devastating accidents in the future.

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