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Home / World

Denishar Woods, the 11-year-old girl electrocuted by a tap, says first words

AAP
28 Mar, 2018 03:27 AM2 mins to read

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Denishar Woods was shocked by up to 230 volts AC when she touched an outdoor tap. Photo / Supplied

Denishar Woods was shocked by up to 230 volts AC when she touched an outdoor tap. Photo / Supplied

Denishar Woods, the 11-year-old schoolgirl fighting for her life after she received a massive electric shock from a garden tap at her home in Perth, has said her first words since the injury.

Upon her admission to Princess Margaret Hospital on Saturday, March 3, her family were told she was brain dead.

But incredibly, according to Nine News Perth, the young girl started saying the word "mum" — a step in recovery doctors said may never happen, news.com.au reports.

Following brain scans, doctors told her family that if Denishar survived, it would be in a vegetative state.

"Last we were told she wouldn't make it off life support to now, watching her get in the hoist and get in the wheelchair," her mother Lacey Harrison told 7 News earlier this month.

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"I just want to bring my baby outside."

Read more
Perth girl has 'catastrophic brain injury' after shock from garden tap

This is the latest in a string of achievements for Denishar following her accident — she stunned doctors last week when she started breathing on her own without a respirator.

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At that point doctors changed her condition from serious to stable.

Denishar was shocked by up to 230 volts AC when she touched the outdoor tap at the family's public housing property in Beldon. The shock is thought to have lasted for about 10 minutes.

Anything above 50 volts AC is dangerous.

The schoolgirl's mother was also jolted by the current when she pulled her daughter out of the electrified water.

Discover more

World

'I just want my baby to wake up'

06 Mar 04:49 AM
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'Catastrophic brain injury' from garden tap

09 Mar 07:19 PM
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Stunning turnaround of girl shocked by tap

20 Mar 01:45 AM
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30 Mar 08:05 AM

Last week, her mum told the ABC that her daughter's organs overheated in the incident.

She said the young girl's organs reached 38C and she was on a cooling pad in hospital to try to limit the damage.

Ms Harrison said she was personally very unwell after the incident, but checked out of hospital early so she could be with her daughter, the ABC reported.

Upon Denishar Woods' admission to hospital, her family were told she was brain dead. Photo / Supplied
Upon Denishar Woods' admission to hospital, her family were told she was brain dead. Photo / Supplied
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