Family urges awareness after freak accident leaves child with serious injuries
By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS STAFF
Published November 4, 2025
A 9-year-old Black boy from Jena, Louisiana, is recovering after suffering severe burns when his metal necklace became entangled in a tablet charger that caught fire while he slept.
Ashtyn Pitts was asleep in his bed around 5 a.m. on October 12 when the accident happened, according to his mother, Lauren Morrow. The tablet was charging beside him when the cord reportedly wrapped around his necklace and sparked.
“The only way I know how to explain it is that it was a freak accident,” Morrow told People.
Ashtyn said he woke up to a loud bang and felt intense pain around his neck.
“I started shaking, and I was screaming ‘Help,’” he recalled.
His mother said the necklace “heated up tremendously, which caused severe burns, and he was electrocuted.” Photos shared by the family show visible injuries to Ashtyn’s neck and face.
The boy was rushed to a hospital in Shreveport, where he was treated in the burn unit and pediatric intensive care unit. Morrow said the experience left her deeply shaken.
“To say I was terrified is an understatement,” she said. “We could be planning a funeral right now.”
After several weeks of recovery, Ashtyn has returned to school and is happy to be back among his friends. His mother said he continues to deal with trauma and panic but is healing both physically and emotionally.
Now, the family hopes their story will help prevent similar tragedies.
“We just want to share his story for awareness in hopes that it will potentially save lives,” Morrow said. “Please let this be a lesson to everyone.”
The National Fire Protection Association warns families not to charge devices on beds, couches, or under pillows, as those surfaces can trap heat and increase fire risks.