United States

Alabama Burn Case Puts Focus on Smartphone Charging

Nearly half of smartphone owners sleep with a phone next to their bed

For many, smartphones have turned into nighttime snuggle buddies, placed beside pillows as they charge throughout the night.

But perhaps we should heed the tale of Wiley Day, who went to bed last month and as usual, plugged his smartphone in to charge via an extension cord.

When he rolled over the next morning, Day's metal dog-tag necklace reportedly caught exposed prongs on the charger, turning it into a conductor for electricity that delivered Day a powerful jolt, NBC News reported.

The Alabama man called it "the eeriest, darkest, most demonic thing you could ever experience," telling The Washington Post, "I don't have enough adjectives to describe it."

Nearly half of smartphone owners — 44 percent — sleep with a phone next to their bed, according to findings from the 2012 Pew Internet Project.

Contact Us