**Warning Notices on Electronic Devices Urged After Woman Electrocuted by Charging Mobile Phone**
Calls for warning notices on electronic devices have intensified following the tragic death of a woman who was electrocuted in the bath by a charging mobile phone.
Speaking at Dublin District Coroners Court on Tuesday, the deceased’s husband, Joe O’Gorman, raised concerns over what he described as a “false illusion of safety” created by phone manufacturers promoting their products as waterproof.
Ann-Marie O’Gorman, 46, a mother of three from Shanliss Avenue, Santry, Dublin, was pronounced dead at Beaumont Hospital on October 30th last year. She was rushed to hospital after her husband found her unresponsive in their family home.
Mr. O’Gorman recounted that he had left home around 6:40 pm to drop their youngest daughter, Megan, to her first disco. He made a brief 23-second call to his wife at 7:58 pm while driving home. Upon arrival, he went into the bathroom to check on Ann-Marie and found her lying on her side in the bath, unresponsive. He noticed her iPhone and a charging cable in the water, which he quickly grabbed and threw into the sink.
As he lifted his wife out of the bath, Mr. O’Gorman said he experienced a small electric shock. He immediately called their eldest daughter, Leah, to dial emergency services while administering CPR. He observed red marks on Ann-Marie’s hands and chest during the attempt to revive her.
Despite suffering from Von Willebrand disease (a blood-clotting disorder) and Graves’ disease (a thyroid condition), the inquest heard that Ann-Marie had been fit and healthy. Mr. O’Gorman believes the electrocution occurred while he was lifting her out of the bath because he was wearing flip-flops, which may have contributed to the shock.
He described how a three-metre extension cable had been plugged into a socket in the bedroom, with his wife’s phone just barely submerged in the water. Mr. O’Gorman criticized the lack of warnings on iPhones about the dangers of contact with water while charging.
He also mentioned similar incidents, including the death of a man in London in March 2017 and a child in the US, both linked to charging mobile phones in baths. Mr. O’Gorman urged that safety warnings be displayed prominently on the packaging of all electronic devices to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies.
Pathologist Dr. Heidi Okkers, who performed the postmortem, observed electrocution burns on Ann-Marie’s chest and left arm, as well as full-thickness burns on her index finger and thumb. She confirmed there was no evidence that her health conditions caused the death. Toxicology tests showed no alcohol or drugs were involved. Dr. Okkers concluded that the cause of death was electrocution by a charging cable and phone while in the bath.
Forensic engineer Paul Collins, who examined the scene at the request of Gardaí, stated that an electric current as low as 2 amps — typical of mobile phone chargers — is sufficient to be fatal.
Coroner Crona Gallagher said she would consider which parties to notify regarding the concerns raised at the inquest and would contact them accordingly. While noting that Mr. O’Gorman’s criticism was directed at Apple, Dr. Gallagher emphasized that this is a wider issue as the use of electronic devices in bathrooms has become increasingly common.
The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
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https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/calls-for-better-warnings-on-devices-after-dublin-woman-fatally-electrocuted-in-bath-1813142.html
