A mother of three died after being electrocuted while holding her charging iPhone in the bath. Ann-Marie O'Gorman, 47, from Santry, Co Dublin, was found unresponsive by her husband Joe in October last year.
Pathologist Heidi Okkers described the incident as a 'horrendous tragedy', noting electrocution-type burns to the chest and left arm, and full-thickness burns to the right index finger and thumb. The cause of death was electrocution by a charging cable and phone while in the bath; no water was found in the lungs, ruling out drowning.
Consultant forensic engineer Paul Collins examined the scene and concluded that the phone had fallen into the water. As O'Gorman reached for it, her finger contacted the handle of a shower attachment, allowing electricity to pass through her body. He stated: 'Strange to say it but if she had not taken her hand out of the bath, she would probably still be alive.'
Joe O'Gorman said he felt a small electric shock when he tried to lift his wife from the bath. He criticised phone companies for promoting a 'false illusion of safety' regarding waterproof devices, noting there is no warning about the danger of using charging phones near water.
