A husband in mourning has raised a urgent alarm following the tragic death of his wife due to electrocution while using a charging mobile phone in a bathtub.
Ann-Marie O’Gorman, a 46-year-old mother of three, was found unconscious by her husband, Joe O’Gorman, in their Dublin home’s bathroom on October 30, 2024. Despite being rushed to a hospital, she was pronounced dead.
Joe O’Gorman testified at the Dublin District Coroner’s Court that he had left home to take their youngest daughter to an event and had a brief phone call with his wife while driving back, suspecting she might have been in the bath.
Upon returning, he discovered his wife motionless in the tub and noticed her iPhone and charging cable in the water. After removing the devices and attempting CPR, he observed burn marks on her body.
Despite having underlying health conditions, including Von Willebrand disease and Graves’ disease, Ann-Marie O’Gorman was described as physically active and fit. Her husband expressed frustration at the lack of warnings on iPhones about the dangers of water exposure during charging.
He cited previous incidents globally where individuals had lost their lives due to similar circumstances and demanded clearer safety guidelines on electronic devices. The state pathologist confirmed that Ann-Marie O’Gorman’s cause of death was electrocution from the phone and cable in the bath.
The inquest concluded that there were no defects in the phone or its accessories. The coroner extended sympathies to the family, labeling the incident a “horrendous tragedy.”