Girl Dies In Freak Accident While Getting Ready For School

Mike Rapp/GoFundMe

A 17-year-old has tragically died after a freak accident that happened while she was getting ready for school.

Brianne ‘Bri’ Marie Rapp, from Pennsylvania, was in the shower at around 6.45am when she blacked out, slipped and fell.

Her mother, who was asleep at the time of the incident, found her unconscious in the bathtub.

She immediately called Brianne’s dad, Michael, who said:

She [Brianne’s mother] was hysterical on the phone and she told me she was gone. I thought maybe she ran away or something. I didn’t realise she meant she passed away.

According to her dad Michael, Brianne suffered from a thyroid problem and was on medication for it. He added that she had blacked out a few times before this, so was not sure if she just slipped and fell or blacked out, KDKA reports.

Michael said:

We’re thinking she blacked out in the bathtub and fell and hit her head and was found by my ex [Brianne’s mother].

However, the cause of death is something they are still unsure of.

KDKA

Michael added:

We don’t know if maybe her hair clogged the drain, but the tub overflowed.

The results of an autopsy are still to be determined, but the likely cause of death was drowning, coroner Larry Barr said. The death is not considered to be suspicious, according to the Butler Eagle.

Writing on the family’s GoFundMe page, which has been set up to cover the funeral costs, Michael said:

My daughter was the heart and soul to so many of her friends. She always put everyone else first. I, her father and Kimberly, her mother, would like to put our daughter first for once to say our final goodbyes! Thank you for all who helps out it is greatly appreciated!

Mike Rapp/GoFundMe

Speaking to local news channel KDKA, Michael said:

I’ll miss her smiling face and her great personality and wanting the best out of life. Her mother and I are so proud to have raised a girl that people have so many nice things to say.

Brianne is survived by her mother Kimberley, dad Michael, and two younger siblings. The family have said that any funds leftover from the money raised will be used to set up a college fund for Brianne’s siblings in her memory.

The obituary said:

Brianna would always be there for her friends and never put herself first.

If you’d like to donate to the family’s GoFundMe page, you can do so here.

Kailee Mills/Twitter

In a separate incident, a 16-year-old from Houston sadly died in a car crash, seconds after she had taken off her seat belt to take a selfie.

Harris County Sheriff’s deputies believe the driver of the car was speeding and lost control.

Flipping over, Kailee was ejected from vehicle. She was the only person not wearing a seat belt. All the other passengers survived.

Deciding people need to be more aware of the issue, Kailee’s parents David and Wendy set up the Kailee Mills Foundation, a non-profit organisation which reminds everyone to buckle up.

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Charlie Cocksedge

Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.