8-Year-Old Boy Suffers Electric Shock from Phone Charger

An ordinary night nearly turned fatal for a little boy after a shocking accident involving a phone charger, a loose cord, and a necklace. What followed left his shirt in flames, his body badly burned, and his family shaken.

An eight-year-old boy has survived a terrifying electric shock after his necklace came into contact with a partially unplugged charger while he slept. The incident left the child with serious burns and in need of skin graft surgery, but his family says it was his quick thinking that saved his life.

Lorenzo Lopez had been lying in bed with his phone charging nearby. The device was plugged into an extension cord, though the connection between the charger and the cord had become slightly loose.

As Lopez turned in his sleep, his chain necklace slipped into the small gap between the two plugs — creating a deadly arc of electricity. "He rolled over, and the chain just happened to fall into that space," explained his mother, Kourtney Pendleton. "That's what shocked him."

Lopez was jolted awake as the current surged through his body. His shirt caught fire, and his body shook from the shock. Unable to speak or call for help, he managed to tear the chain from his neck before running for help. Pendleton added:

"The lady at the other hospital told us that if he hadn't pulled the chain off, he would have been electrocuted to death. He basically saved his own life."

Now recovering in the hospital, Lopez is being treated for burns to his neck, hands, and torso. He is expected to remain in care for at least two weeks and will undergo skin graft surgery. Doctors plan to take skin from his scalp, legs, and feet to repair the most severely damaged areas.

Despite the trauma, the young boy has shown remarkable resilience. "It was just scary," Lopez said. "I almost thought I was going to die." Speaking from his hospital bed, he added, "I guess I saved myself, and I'm happy about that."

His mother, who described him as an ordinary child who enjoys sports and video games, praised her son's courage. It is his first time in the hospital, and though the experience has taken a toll, Lopez remains in good spirits. "They've been treating me nice," he stated. "I just like being nice to talk to and having fun."

In the wake of the accident, the family has urged parents to keep electronics and charging cables away from children's beds. "It's not worth the risk," they declared on their GoFundMe page.

The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical bills and support them during Lopez's recovery. Pendleton, a single mother of three, has taken leave from work to care for her son. At the time of writing, more than $1,700 of the $2,400 goal had been raised.

The campaign page described the incident as a "terrifying, freak accident" and called Lopez a "tough, brave little boy — a true survivor."

It also asked for prayers and support from the community, especially with the holiday season and two of the children's birthdays approaching. Lopez said he hopes his experience can serve as a warning to others. "I just want to save some lives, man," he shared.

Lopez's story stands as a powerful reminder of how everyday objects can pose unexpected dangers — especially around children. As he continues to recover, the focus now is on healing, support, and making sure others don't suffer the same fate.