13-year-old girl suffers severe neck burns after using her phone while it was charging
I think most parents would agree that the moment a child arrives, safeguarding them instantly becomes priorities one through five.
Even imagining our kids getting hurt or falling ill feels unbearable, which is why we instinctively do everything in our power to keep them safe. It’s not something we consciously think about—it’s a reflex that begins the first time we hold them in our arms.
Sadly, the world doesn’t always cooperate with our efforts, and no matter how careful we are, accidents can still happen.
Every parent dreads the moment something goes wrong that they couldn’t predict or prevent, especially when it’s the kind of ordeal no one could have seen coming.
Jackie Fedro knows that feeling all too well. What happened to her daughter years ago—in 2016—remains just as important to talk about today.
According to BuzzFeed, Jackie decided that 2016 was finally the time for her daughter Gabbie—then 13—to have her first cellphone. Gabbie received an LG d500 as a Christmas gift.
“One of the reasons we finally caved and got her a phone was so we could stay connected with her better, since her practice schedule is so hectic,” Jackie told BuzzFeed.
But what happened next was a nightmare none of them ever imagined. Gabbie was upstairs using her phone when Jackie suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream.
“She came running downstairs right after it happened, holding her neck,” Jackie said. “She was in so much pain that she was screaming uncontrollably.”
“As a mom, it’s the absolute worst thing in the world—to see your child in agony and have no idea what to do. It took her a full five minutes before she could even explain what happened.”
Gabbie told her mom she had been using the phone while it was plugged in. She had been shocked by an electrical current that traveled up the charging cord, through the device, and into the metal necklace she was wearing—leaving her with a severe burn around her neck.
“She ended up with painful second-degree burns and now has a scar that circles her entire neck,” Jackie said.
After the terrifying incident, Jackie urged other parents to be aware of the lesser-known risks associated with cellphones.
“With so many kids using phones these days, parents need to be warned about the dangers they can pose,” Jackie emphasized.