Mother Dies After Being Electrocuted Holding Phone in Bathtub

Ann-Marie O’Gorman, a 46-year-old mother of three from Dublin, Ireland, passed away on October 30, 2024, after being electrocuted while holding her phone in the bath as it charged. An inquest held in September 2025 confirmed her cause of death as electrocution by a charging cable and phone submerged in the water.

Joe O’Gorman, her husband, testified that he had a brief phone call with his wife just before returning home around 7:58 p.m., at which point he believed she may already have been in the bathtub. Upon entering their home, he discovered her unresponsive in the tub. He noticed her iPhone and its charging cable in the water and experienced a small electric shock while lifting her out.

During resuscitation efforts, O’Gorman observed red marks on her hands and chest. Medical examiners later confirmed these marks were consistent with electrocution. A postmortem found electrocution-type burns on her chest, left arm, and full-thickness burns on her right index finger and thumb. No drugs, alcohol, or her preexisting medical conditions (Von Willebrand disease, Graves’ disease) contributed to her death.

How It Happened: What the Phone and the Evidence Suggests

A forensic engineer testified that the charging cable ran from a socket located in the bedroom, fully plugged in, and extended to where the phone was held in the tub. The cord was long enough to allow the phone to be clasped by someone sitting in the bath.

It is believed that the phone may have slipped into the water, prompting Ann-Marie to try retrieving it. In doing so, her finger likely touched a metal shower fitting or similar fixture, providing a path for the electric current to travel through her body.

Experts noted that even a modest current—such as from a typical phone charger—can disrupt the heart’s electrical rhythm and prove fatal.

Response & Calls for Safety Warnings

Following the inquest, Joe O’Gorman called for manufacturers to place more explicit risk warnings about using devices near water—especially when they’re plugged in. He warned that modern marketing of devices as “waterproof” gives users a false sense of security.

The coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure, noting the risk factor associated with combining electrical devices and water.

Implications & Warnings for Others

This case underscores a critical safety issue: water is a powerful conductor of electricity, and any plugged-in or charging device poses a grave danger when it comes in contact with liquid.

Even devices marketed as “water-resistant” are not safe to use while charging or in wet environments. The combination of electricity, water, and conductive materials (like metal fixtures) can create a lethal path.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder to always keep electrical devices, charging cables, and outlets safely away from baths, showers, sinks, and other water sources.

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