•Late Ann-Marie
Ann-Marie O’Gorman, 46, from Dublin, Ireland has died after being found unresponsive in the bath by her husband, Joe O’Gorman.
The incident was later determined to have been caused by electrocution involving a charging cable and mobile phone, according to reports from the Irish Mirror, Irish Independent, and RTÉ.
During a hearing at Dublin District Coroner’s Court yesterday, Tuesday, September 30, it was revealed that Joe had left home around 6:40 p.m. to drop their youngest daughter at a disco.
At 7:58 p.m., he spoke briefly with his wife by phone as he drove back. When he returned home, he went to check on Ann-Marie and discovered her lying on her side in the bath.
Realising she was unresponsive, Joe saw her iPhone and charging cable in the water and quickly threw them into the sink. While moving his wife from the bath, he felt a mild electric shock.
Their eldest daughter then called emergency services, while Joe attempted CPR. Paramedics arrived at 8:38 p.m., but Ann-Marie could not be revived.
The court heard that red marks were found on her hands and chest, consistent with electrical burns.
State Pathologist Dr. Heidi Okkers confirmed during post-mortem examination that Ann-Marie had sustained electrocution-type injuries on her chest, arm, thumb, and finger.
Toxicology results were negative for drugs and alcohol, and her pre-existing conditions, Von Willebrand disease and Graves’ disease, did not contribute to her death.
Consultant forensic engineer Paul Collins explained that Ann-Marie’s phone likely slipped into the water and, in attempting to retrieve it, her finger made contact with a shower attachment, completing an electrical circuit.
“Strange to say it but if she had not taken her hand out of the bath, she would probably still be alive,” Collins noted.
Joe O’Gorman told the court he believed he avoided a more serious shock because he was wearing flip-flops. He called for stronger safety warnings on electronic devices, stressing the risks of using them near water.
“There’s nothing being done to say this is a hazard you could die from,” he said.
Speaking about the importance of not using devices in the bathroom near water, Collins said, “Leave it on a dressing table. It doesn’t matter if it’s being charged or not.”
