MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Local law enforcement is investigating an unexpected late-night fatal accident that unfolded on Jackson Drive in the town of Mandeville, where an unidentified man is presumed to have fallen to his death while harvesting avocados, locally known as avocado pears, on private property.
The man’s body was discovered early Saturday morning by the homeowner of the plot, where the incident took place. First responders found the victim, described as a dreadlocked man, lying on his back directly beneath the avocado tree where he had been picking fruit. Several full crocus bags, stuffed to capacity with freshly harvested avocados, were recovered just a short distance from the body. Investigators also noted a broken tree branch at the scene, leading authorities to suspect the branch gave way under the man’s weight while he was climbing to reach higher-hanging fruit.
At the time of the initial report, police had not yet released any information confirming the man’s identity, nor had they reached out to next of kin. The victim was documented as wearing grey sweatpants, a brown outer sweater and a red undershirt at the time of the incident.
Following an initial examination of the scene and available evidence, detectives have formally categorized the death as a death by misadventure, a classification used for fatalities that occur during a voluntary, risky activity where the outcome results in accidental harm.