Expand / Collapse search
☰

UGA graduate dies during trip to Alabama lake

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 18, 2026 9:47am EDT
University of Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta
Image 1 of 3
▼

Credit: Montgomery Fire and Rescue

The Brief

    • A 24-year-old UGA graduate from Columbus died after jumping into an Alabama lake during a graduation trip with friends.
    • Authorities say Jayden Barreto jumped from Chimney Rock into Lake Martin but never resurfaced.
    • Visitation and celebration of life services are scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - New details are emerging about a University of Georgia graduate who died during a graduation trip with friends at an Alabama lake.

What we know:

According to reports, 24-year-old Jayden Barreto of Columbus jumped from Chimney Rock into Lake Martin last Wednesday but never resurfaced.

Dive teams later recovered his body that night.

Barreto recently graduated from UGA with bachelor’s degrees in management information systems and psychology.

A visitation is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, followed by a celebration of life service.

The Source

  • Information for above story came from New York Post and Montgomery Fire and Rescue in Alabama (links above). 

University of GeorgiaAlabamaNews