Mom, 46, Dies Tragically After Phone Charger Electrocutes Her In The Bath
On October 30, 2024, Ann-Marie O’Gorman was at her home in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, when the devastating accident occurred.
She had been holding her cellphone while relaxing in the bath, not realizing the danger as the device remained connected to a charging cable.
An inquest into her death took place on Tuesday (September 30). During the hearing, her husband, Joe O’Gorman, shared the painful memory of the moment he discovered his wife in the bath.
He explained that he had spoken to Ann-Marie on the phone at around 7:58 p.m. that evening, and now believes she was already in the bath at the time of their call.
That was when he noticed her phone and the charging cable submerged in the bathwater with her.
Despite this, he managed to lift her from the tub and immediately began performing CPR, desperately trying to revive her, while their eldest daughter quickly dialed for an ambulance.
Joe later said he believed he avoided more serious injury because he had been wearing flip-flops, which might have protected him from the full force of the current.
Ann-Marie had preexisting medical conditions, including Von Willebrand disease and Graves’ disease. However, she was otherwise described as active, in good health, and a regular at the gym.
Dr. Heidi Okkers, the state pathologist who carried out her postmortem, confirmed that these conditions played no role in Ann-Marie’s death. Toxicology tests also revealed that she had no drugs or alcohol in her system at the time.
Her heartbroken husband has since spoken out, stressing that there need to be stronger warnings about using phones and chargers near water to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
“The only thing you hear about is how these phones are great in up to six feet of water. It gives people the idea that you can have your phone near water,” Joe told the inquest.
He continued, adding: “There’s nothing being done about this whatsoever by any provider to say this is a hazard you could die from. That is all that people have to know.”
