Teenager nearly dies in freak accident after chain is electrocuted into his neck
Warning: This article contains graphic images which some readers may find distressing.
The mum of an American teenager who was electrocuted in his bedroom has issued a stark warning to fellow mobile phone users.
On 30 April, Rayce Ogdahl was rushed to hospital in Oklahoma after his cross necklace allegedly came into contact with an exposed plug prong.
It’s said that tragedy struck as the 16-year-old reached down to check his charging phone before sleeping and that the accident caused his whole house to ‘smell like burnt hair and skin’.
Advert
"There were scorch marks around his neck"
US resident Danielle Davis has recounted the horrific incident and has detailed how her son started screaming for aid in the hallway of their home.
"It was a normal night and we'd only been asleep for around an hour when we half heard a noise and then heard yelling from Rayce's room,” she began.
“We thought maybe he's playing a video game and getting frustrated.
"Then I heard him shout 'mom' and my son was standing in the hallway. He said 'I've been electrocuted. It was my necklace'. There were scorch necks around his neck.”
After realising her son was injured, the mum-of-six immediately phoned emergency services.
Rayce was quickly transported to the Health Baptist Medical Center’s burns unit in Oklahoma where doctors revealed he would be scarred for life.
"It was like a hot coil"
Explaining how the injury happened, Danielle claimed: “He was in bed, rolled over to get comfortable when he heard something fall off the bed.
“He said he wanted to make sure his phone was still charging so his alarm would go off for school the next day.
"He said he leaned out of the bed and when he did the cross necklace around his neck made contact with the prongs from the plug in an extension cord which were just barely exposed.
“Because everything was metal, it made a complete circuit around his neck. It was like a hot coil.”
Doctors said he had endured enough electrical amps to kill him.
Weeks on from the incident, Danielle said her child now has ‘a lot of scars’ that stretch from his chin to his collar bone.
She also gave an insight into his ongoing treatment and revealed health professionals are keen for Rayce to undergo a skin graft.
This decision has apparently been made due to the schoolboy suffering from second, third and fourth-degree burns.
"Don't have your phone on your bed"
Following the nightmare, the US mother has cautioned others who also charge electronic devices at night.
"When it comes to your phone, there's not a text message or notification that is important enough to have your phone on your bed,” she stated.
“Anything can happen and Rayce is proof of that. Pay attention to your cords and I would recommend to anybody don't use extension cords at all."
Danielle concluded by saying the family is ‘so grateful’ that their child is OK as he could have ‘easily died during the incident.
Ella Scott