Ashtyn Pitts, a 9-year-old boy, was severely burned in the middle of the night. His family says he woke up with his tablet charger wrapped around his neck. His mom, Lauren Morrow, told PEOPLE that on October 12, Pitts was sleeping on his bed with his tablet charging near his head.
Around 5 a.m., his metal necklace got entangled in the charger’s cord, leading to a fire sparking on his neck. His mom told WDSU, “The only way I know how to explain it is that it was a freak accident.” For the most part, his family was lost about how the accident took place at all.
“It was like this loud bang, and then I woke up, and then I started shaking, and I was screaming ‘Help,’ ” the 9-year-old told the NBC affiliate outlet. His mom says that Ashtyn and his brother initially believed that there was a stranger at their home. Then, they ran towards their parents. Morrow told the outlet that Ashtyn’s necklace “heated up tremendously, which caused severe burns, and he was electrocuted.”
The mother told WDSU that her son’s injuries “hit me hard, because in all reality, we could be planning a funeral right now.” Ashtyn was taken to a hospital in Shreveport, LA, where he received treatment in the burn unit. Then, he also received treatment at the pediatric intensive care unit.
9-Year-Old Severely Burned by ‘Freak Accident’ When Necklace Got Tangled in Tablet Charger While Sleeping: Family https://t.co/kdKWYMUNoN
— People (@people) October 31, 2025
Morrow told PEOPLE that “to say I was terrified is an understatement. I can’t even explain the emotions I felt and the nightmares I’m still having because of this.” She added, “Nothing but God saved us.”
The family also shared the pictures of Ashtyn’s burns with the outlet. She revealed that her boy has since returned to school, “which is great.” She added, “He was so excited to get back to his friends and teachers.”
However, the mother also noted that the kid is still struggling with trauma from the accident. “He is healing, and we are working on healing his mental state,” said Morrow. “We just want to share his story for awareness in hopes that it will potentially save lives,” the mother said, adding, “Please let this be a lesson to everyone.”
REMEMBER…
Don’t just unplug your phone or tablet and leave the charger plugged in! Many chargers use electricity when plugged in, even of not connected to a device. Plus, leaving them plugged in can cause them to overheat and cause a fire. #safety pic.twitter.com/x5Iz2Wuig1
— Huntsville Utilities (@HSVUtilities) October 29, 2025
The National Fire Protection Association strongly suggests against devices being charged near the bed, under a pillow, or on a couch, which could lead to such accidents.
In Ashtyn’s case, he managed to get back on his feet soon. However, if he had suffered serious burns, it could have led to a life-and-death situation.
