A 20-year-old Michigan man died in Celebration, Florida, after he was found unresponsive along a walking path during an incident in which lightning was observed nearby, according to authorities.
Matthew Eric Jenkins of Shelby Township was found Tuesday evening on a path behind a hotel in the 700 block of Bloom Street, near Walt Disney World.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the area at about 6:25 p.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive man. When they arrived, bystanders were already performing CPR.
Jenkins was taken to AdventHealth Celebration, where he was later pronounced dead.
Authorities identified Jenkins on Wednesday with assistance from federal law enforcement and notified his parents, who are in Michigan.
Lightning Was Reported Nearby
Investigators said lightning had been observed in the area around the time Jenkins was found. That has led authorities to investigate a possible connection between the lightning strike and his death.
However, the exact cause of death has not been officially established.
Homicide detectives with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office are waiting for the medical examiner’s determination before the circumstances of Jenkins’ death can be fully confirmed.
The incident happened near The Inn at Celebration, located at 700 Bloom Street in Celebration. The hotel is situated near the Walt Disney World area.
For now, authorities have not announced additional details about what Jenkins was doing immediately before he was found or confirmed exactly how the lightning-related incident occurred.
The investigation remains ongoing as officials await the medical examiner’s findings.
