According to her family, Madison Coe of Lubbock, Texas was in the bathtub when she either plugged her cellphone in to charge or grabbed the phone while it was already charging, leading the 14-year-old teenager to die from electrocution. The incident happened while Madison was in her father’s home in Lovington, NM.
Teenager was a recent middle school graduate
KCBD reports that Madison was a recent graduate from the 8th grade at Terra Vista Middle School in the Frenship Independent School District and was about to attend high school in Houston, as her family is in the process of moving there.
In a statement, officials from Frenship school district passed their “heartfelt sympathy” to Coe’s parents and friends as they “carry the burden of this tragedy together.”
Grandmother calls teenage girl her ‘shining star’
Coe’s grandmother, Donna O’Guinn, called Madison her “shining star,” adding that the 14-year-old was very smart and a good student. O’Guinn also said the teenager loved life. O’Guinn went on to say the teen made a positive impact on everyone around her, and that everyone loved her. She said the teen’s cellphone was plugged into a socket in the bathroom, and that Coe had a burn mark on the hand where she grabbed the phone.
Family wants everyone to be aware of the dangers of electricity and water
The teen’s family believes this kind of accident can happen to anyone, and they are warning people to not use their cellphone in the bathroom when it is being charged. After posting their message on social media, it was shared widely, and O’Guinn said it was overwhelming to realize their message may help many people they have never met, prompting them to protect their children.
She added that everyone should be made aware of the dangers of electricity and water.
GoFundMe campaign started by family, friends towards funeral costs
As reported by the New York Daily News, friends of the family have created a GoFundMe campaign on Sunday in an effort to raise money towards the teenager’s medical expenses and funeral.
The page displays a moving photo of Madison with her father.
In their message on the page, the family’s friends say their hearts go out to the teenager’s family during this difficult time, adding that any support given would be greatly appreciated and would go directly towards the family’s medical and memorial costs. At the time of writing, the GoFundMe campaign has raised over $6,000 towards its goal of $20,000 from 87 donations.