US teen electrocuted after cellphone mishap in bath

  • 12/07/2017
Madison Coe.
Madison Coe. Photo credit: GoFundMe

A US teenager has died after she was electrocuted in her home when she charged her phone while in the bath.

Fourteen-year-old Madison Coe from Texas died on Sunday (local time). Her mother and grandmother said it wasn't clear if it occurred when she plugged it in to charge, or if she grabbed the phone when it was already charging.

"There was a burn mark on her hand, the hand that would have grabbed the phone. And that was just very obvious that that's what had happened," her emotional grandmother Donna O'Guinn told KCBD in Texas.

Her grandmother remembered her as a sweet girl with a bright future.

"I call her my shining star," Ms O'Guinn said.

"She was very smart. Very good student in school. She just loved life."

The grieving family hopes news of her death will educate people on the dangers of using electronic appliances near water.

"This is such a tragedy that doesn't need to happen to anyone else. And 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," Ms O'Guinn said.

"It's overwhelming to realise that there are people that we don't even know and we'll probably never even meet that have taken this message and shared it to protect another child or even an adult. We don't want to lose anybody."

Police attended the incident to find the teen unresponsive, trying to resuscitate her at her home, in the ambulance and at the hospital with no success.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her family cover funeral expenses.

Newshub.