A 16-year-old girl from southern Italy has died in a tragic accident after her phone slipped into the bathtub while she was speaking with a friend.
A Quiet Evening Turns Tragic
Maria Antonietta Cutillo was reportedly home alone at her family’s house in Montefalcione when she decided to take a bath. Her phone was running low on battery, so she plugged it into a nearby outlet and continued using it while in the tub.
She held the device over the side of the bath as she spoke with a friend. During the call, the line suddenly went silent. Alarmed, the friend contacted emergency services and explained what had happened.
Authorities Find the Teen Electrocuted
Emergency responders arrived at the home and found Maria unresponsive in the tub. Investigators believe she dropped the charging phone into the bathwater, causing a fatal electric shock. Her body was transported to the morgue at Moscati Hospital in Avellino for further examination.
Growing Concern Over Similar Incidents
Sadly, this is not the first time a plugged-in device has caused a deadly accident. In 2017, a man in London died after an iPhone charger touched bathwater. Safety experts have repeatedly warned that phones connected to the mains supply pose a serious risk when near water.
Experts Urge Caution Around Water and Electricity
Electrical safety specialists stress that the danger is not the phone itself, but the charger connected to household voltage. Water reduces the body’s resistance, making electric shock more likely and more severe.
Public health advisors caution against using any plugged-in device in the bathroom, especially while bathing. Electricity and water, they note, are a potentially deadly combination.