Warning: This article includes graphic descriptions that could be disturbing to some readers.
A young Georgia woman died last week after she got caught in a conveyor belt chain while trying to reach for a dropped AirPod, authorities said.
Alyssa Drinkard, a 21-year-old contract line worker at golf cart manufacturer Club Car, dropped the earbud at around 9:45 p.m. on Friday during her shift at the company’s plant in Evans, a witness told Columbia County Sheriff’s Office investigators. They added that she got caught by the machine that moves the conveyor belt when she tried to retrieve the AirPod, the witness said.
Fae’Zsha Smith, identified as the witness, told NBC News that the machine had caught Drinkard’s arm, adding that it was bent and there was a substantial quantity of blood after Drinkard tried to reach for her AirPod. “I’m kind of traumatized from seeing her that way,” Smith said.
The machine was shut down and 911 called, with emergency personnel eventually freeing Drinkard by “cutting the metal frame around the conveyor and pulling her out,” according to the incident report. She still had a pulse at the time she was freed, the report added, and emergency responders attempted to save her life before she was transferred to hospital.
In a statement, Club Car acknowledged that a contract labor worker “experienced a critical injury while working at our main manufacturing facility in Evans,” according to The Augusta Press. “First responders were immediately notified, and we thank them for their quick response to provide medical care and transportation to the hospital where the worker unfortunately later passed away,” the statement added. “Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the family, friends and all impacted by this loss.”
