Body found in river believed to be J’can rugby player

From the moment Meshanda Nesbeth learnt her son went missing while in North America, sleepless nights have consumed her.

Now she believes that a body which was found in a river, miles from where he should have been, is his.

"When I dropped him off at the airport, I never thought that would be the last time I'd see my son. It was just supposed to be a short trip. He was supposed to just go play his match and come home," she said. On October 19, 2024, Nesbeth's 26-year-old son, Alpachino Mignott, a Jamaican rugby player, travelled to Canada for a rugby match. After playing the game, which was held at Lamport Stadium in Toronto, Mignott, who lived in Portmore, St Catherine, spoke to his mother on the phone. He was neither seen nor heard from again.

Determined to find answers, Nesbeth travelled to Canada to aid in the search for her son. Niagara police reported that a ride-share vehicle had dropped Mignott off in the Queenston neighbourhood near the Niagara River at 10:45 p.m. on October 19. Investigators searched the nearby river, reviewed hotel surveillance footage, and questioned the Uber driver, but their efforts led to no leads.

Days before Nesbeth returned to Jamaica on November 27, she received a call from investigators with heartbreaking news: a partially decomposed body had been found in the Niagara River, near Youngstown, Buffalo, New York, USA. The body was wearing a rugby uniform and had a tattoo that partially matched Mignott's.

"When I got the call and they told me about the tattoo, I knew it was my son. I just broke down and cried. I kept hoping they were wrong, that somehow it wasn't him. But when they told me about his tattoo, I just knew.," she said, her voice trembling.

Since the discovery of the body, Nesbeth has been awaiting the results of a DNA test to confirm the identity. Once confirmed, she hopes to have his remains released so she can bring her son home for burial.

"He was my only child, and I had so many plans for him. I had big dreams for him. Never in a million years did I think I would be burying my son," she said as she broke down in tears. - K.J.