Recent University of Georgia graduate dies after jumping off cliff into Alabama lake

A trip to celebrate a University of Georgia student's recent graduation ended in tragedy when he died after jumping off a cliff into an Alabama lake.

On Wednesday afternoon, Montgomery Fire Rescue said they received a call for help involving a missing swimmer, later identified by law enforcement to AL.com as 24-year-old Jayden Barreto of Columbus, Georgia.

The fire department said that Barreto disappeared while at Chimney Rock, a popular landmark on Lake Martin. His body was found by divers several hours later.

"Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time," the department wrote on Facebook.

According to Lake Martin's website, Chimney Rock is often confused with nearby Acapulco Rock, but only the latter is situated for cliff jumping.

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin told AL.com that jumping from Chimney Rock is dangerous, describing it "like hitting a sheet of glass from 60 feet up."

University of Georgia officials confirmed with CBS News Atlanta that Barreto graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in management information systems and a Bachelor of Science in psychology.

A celebration of life for Barreto is scheduled to take place on Wednesday afternoon at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary's Fisher Chapel in Columbus.