by Zara Mustapha
A mother-of -two has been killed by electrocution as she talked on her phone while it was plugged into a faulty charger.
The woman, identified as 28-year-old Sheryl Aldeguer, a nurse who moved to Australia from the Philippines for work, died in her North Gosford home.
Authorities have issued a warning to consumers about knock-off USB-style chargers and are investigating distributors of the USB chargers after the woman’s death.
Daily Mail reports:
Mrs Aldeguer had just become an Australian citizen and was about to start work at Gosford Hospital. She hoped her husband and two young children would join her in the country soon, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Mrs Aldeguer was talking on her phone, which was plugged into a charger, when she died. The charger, which did not meet Australian safety regulations, had inadequate shielding causing 240 volts to ‘arc’ and pass from the charger through the phone into her body.
It is believed that Mrs Aldeguer died instantly and her body, which had burns to the chest and ears, was found the following day by friends and her landlord.
People have taken to Facebook to express condolences to Mrs Aldeguer’s husband Luigi who lives in California.
‘With all our love and our tears of sadness at losing her mixed with tears of happiness at having known her,’ wrote Luis Chato Maneru the day after Mrs Aleguer died.
Ella Aldeguer Favis wrote: ‘Hold on to the two beautiful gifts Sheryl Aldeguer gave you. Living proof of the love and commitment you shared. Haven’t stopped praying for you Luigi Aldeguer.’
Mrs Aldeguer was killed in April through a faulty phone charger. It is believed that the voltage arced and passed through the charger into her body while she was talking on the phone
Mrs Aldeguer had just become an Australian citizen and was a few days away from starting a job as a nurse at Gosford Hospital
Police closed down a stall in Campsie in Sydney’s southwest last week after a friend of Mrs Aldeguer told police that the faulty charger had been bought there.
Police seized a large amount of stock, including phone chargers, power boards and travel adaptors, which were found not to meet Australian safety requirements.
NSW Fair Trading Commisioner Rod Stowe said the rip-off, cheap chargers seized by the commission were low quality plastic that could melt and did not have insulation on pins or approval marks.
The accessory stall in Campsie faces fines of up to $87,500 and/or two years’ imprisonment and Mr Stowe said it was very likely the commission would pursue prosecution.
This is the only know fatality to date that seems to be connected to the devices, but Mr Stowe said the public needed to be informed immediately to avoid further deaths.
‘It’s a wake-up call to people who buy cheap electronic products without realising potential hazards,’ said NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe. ‘If the deal’s too good to be true, it usually is and it can prove fatal.’
Fair Trading Electrical Product Safety Expert Lynelle Collins said it had been five years since a similar death caused by a faulty electronic device but there was a serious risk of further deaths.
‘Particularly with the Internet, people can buy stuff directly from overseas wholesalers that may not meet Australian safety standards,’ she said.
A large quantity of knock-off USB style chargers have been seized from a stall in Campsie after a woman was found dead with burns on her ears and chest in an apparent electrocution
The fatality is the first known death that seems to be linked to the knock-off charger devices, which do not meet Australian safety standards
Police initially suspected Mrs Aldeguer was killed by her laptop, which she was also using at the time of her death.
As well as talking on the phone, Mrs Aldeguer was wearing headphones, which were plugged into her laptop. The laptop was also plugged into a charger.
It is believed the voltage completed its circuit by travelling from the faulty charger into the phone, into her body, then through her headphones into her laptop and then through the computer charger back into the wall.
Ms Collins said that even without the laptop the incident could have proved fatal.
Police in the Brisbane Waters Local Area command are investigating the woman’s death and did not want to release more information about the death.
Consumers who have already bought non-approved USB-style chargers for phones or tablets are advised to bend the pins on the chargers and throw them away immediately.
People are also warned not to use devices while they are charging or plugged in.
Anyone with more information about the dodgy chargers should contact Fair Trading on 13 32 20.
Police are warning consumers to bend the pins and throw away any rip-off USB-style charger they might have
