Teen girl suffers severe neck burns after using phone while it was charging

A 13-year-old from Illinois was left with second-degree burns after an electric current traveled through her charging phone and into her metal necklace. The incident, which occurred in 2016, continues to raise safety concerns among parents.

A Christmas gift turned dangerous for one family when a charging phone caused unexpected injury

When Jackie Fedro gave her daughter Gabbie a cellphone for Christmas, she thought it would make life easier. The 13-year-old had a busy schedule, and having a phone meant she could stay in touch. But just days after receiving her LG D500, something went terribly wrong.

Gabbie had been using her phone in her bedroom while it was plugged into the charger. Suddenly, her mother heard a scream. Gabbie ran downstairs, clutching her neck and crying out in pain.

“She was in so much pain she was screaming hysterically,” Jackie said. “It took her a good five minutes before she was even able to tell us what had happened.”

As Jackie later learned, an electric current had traveled from the charger through the phone, conducted by the metal in Gabbie’s necklace. The result was a serious burn around her neck.

A warning to other parents

Gabbie’s injury required treatment for second-degree burns. While she recovered, the incident left a permanent scar—and a lasting lesson.

“With so many kids using phones now days, parents need to be warned about the harm that they can cause,” Jackie said. She hopes other families will learn from what happened and take precautions.

Though rare, injuries caused by charging electronic devices are not unheard of. Experts advise using certified chargers, avoiding use while charging, and keeping metal objects like jewelry away from cables and ports.

No parent can foresee every danger, especially in a world where technology is so integrated into daily life. But stories like Gabbie’s remind us that even familiar routines—like charging a phone—can carry unexpected risks.