A 16-year-old girl from Italy, Maria Antonietta Cutillo, tragically lost her life after her phone fell into the bathtub while she was conversing with a friend.
Cutillo was enjoying a bath at her family’s residence in Montefalcione, located in the province of Avellino, Italy, at a time when her parents were not at home. According to reports from the Daily Mail, she was on a call with a friend while seated in the water.
The unfortunate incident occurred when she accidentally dropped her phone, which was connected to a charger plugged into a nearby outlet. This led to a short circuit, resulting in her electrocution. Emergency services were alerted after her friend grew worried when the call abruptly ended, and upon their arrival, they discovered Cutillo had already passed away.
Her body was subsequently transported to the morgue at Moscati Hospital in Avellino for an autopsy, which confirmed that she died from electrocution. Local authorities also conducted an investigation into this tragic event, which took place in May 2023. As reported by the Daily Express, Cutillo’s friend honored her memory on TikTok, stating: “You flew to heaven my love, you left screaming my name during a video call. I will never forget that moment.
“The last call, the last laugh, the last silly moments we shared were today, my dear, and while you were talking to me, this happened. Your voice echoes in my mind as you called my name, and I can still see the scene vividly, your big green eyes, and hear your laughter.
“You were an incredible friend, and now the desk next to me will remain empty, as no one can ever take your place.
“I miss you dearly, and your image is forever etched in my memory.”
While incidents of electrocution from phones are uncommon, there have been other cases where individuals have tragically lost their lives due to similar short-circuiting events.As reported by the Mirror, 27-year-old Wanchai Deengam from Thailand tragically passed away in February after falling asleep while his phone was charging.
The report indicates that a smartwatch was also connected to the same extension cord, along with two rice cookers and two fans plugged into the wall outlet.
Deengam’s older brother, Somkuan Changsarn, grew worried when he was unable to reach his brother.
“I became suspicious because he typically wasn’t a heavy sleeper. I would often find him sitting outside his room when I returned from work,” Changsarn remarked.
He added, “He primarily used his phone for chatting with friends on the Line app. He frequently browsed TikTok and Facebook to watch sports, but he didn’t engage in gaming.
“We had previously discussed the risks of using phones while charging, as there have been news reports about such incidents. Yet, people continue to do it. I never imagined this could happen, or I would have cautioned my brother more.”
Unfortunately, Deengam was found deceased, still holding his phone, with his left arm resting on the device. Police Captain Jiratchaya Yordkum from the Rat Burana Metropolitan Police Station stated, “We found no signs of foul play or burglary. We suspect that a short circuit may have led to his electrocution.”
The Police Captain further noted that the 27-year-old had connected his device to the socket without using the appropriate adapter.
