Parents hope teen’s last text will spread awareness
LOVINGTON, N.M.—The parents of a Texas teen who died after she was accidentally electrocuted inside a bathtub are sharing one of the last photos their daughter texted before her death in the hopes of warning people about the dangers of water and electricity.
The photo taken July 9 shows an extension cord that 14-year-old Madison Coe brought inside the bathroom so she could charge her phone.
The message of the text stated: “When you use (an) extension cord so you can plug your phone in while you’re in the bath.”
Lovington Police Sgt. David Miranda said Wednesday the teen’s family hopes the image will raise awareness of the dangers that the combination of electricity, water and portable electronic devices can pose, especially to younger people who are heavy users of cellphones and other portable electronic devices.
Investigators believe Coe may have been electrocuted after touching a frayed portion of the extension cord.
Miranda said evidence indicates the phone adaptor cord and phone had been disconnected from the extension cord at the time of the incident so authorities believe the damaged extension cord caused the electrocution.
“While the child took precautions to keep the connection of the cords dry, it is believed she was not aware of a significant area of fraying to the extension cord,” police said in a news release.
Investigators also noted that there’s no indication the teen’s cellphone was ever immersed in water.
Coe was an incoming high school freshman from Lubbock, Texas. She was visiting her father in Lovington, New Mexico, when she died.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also is reviewing the case. The commission has yet to release any findings.