A teenager in Texas died after she was electrocuted when the mobile phone that she was charging fell into a bathtub.
Bathtub Incident
Fourteen-year-old Madison Coe was in the tub at her father's home in Lovington, New Mexico, when the incident happened. Her relatives said that Coe plugged in the phone while in the bathtub or grabbed it as the mobile device was being charged.
The police and EMS were called at 12:24 a.m. on Sunday, July 9 to help an unresponsive female. The police says that the emergency personnel tried life-saving measures, but the girl was eventually pronounced dead at the hospital.
The girl's grandmother, Donna O'Guinn, said that there was a burn mark on Coe's hand, which she likely used to grab the phone.
In a news release, the Lovington Police Department said that initial evidence suggests of electrocution, but the cause of death will not be announced pending the conclusion of an investigation by the police and determination of the cause and manner of death by the Office of the Medical Investigator.
Water And Electricity Do Not Mix
The girl's family now wants to raise awareness about the dangers of using cellphones in the bathroom when these devices are plugged in. Children, in particular, need to be aware that electricity and water do not mix.
Coe's story continues to be shared on Facebook and helps raise awareness about the power of electricity and the danger posed by plugging any electrical appliance near water.
"We want something good to come out of this as awareness of not using your cell phone in the bathroom as it is plugged in and charging," O'Guinn said.
Coe's is not the first fatal case linked to use of mobile phones. In 2013, a woman in China collapsed to the floor after using her iPhone 5 while charging the device. The woman is believed to have been electrocuted based on signs on her body.
Mobile phone may have low electrical output ranging between three to five volts, which is less than the 36 volts needed for a shock, but experts say that a charger or circuit with problems, such as a broken wire, can lead to a 220-volt shock.
"There is a risk using an electrical device while its installed battery is being charged, be it a shaver or a phone." said Peter Chiu Ping-kuen, of the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education.
