Mum of two falls from 27th balcony floor while taking selfie

How can we protect ourselves from the possible dangers of taking a selfie?

Ever since phones became equipped with cameras, the selfie phenomenon emerged. However, we never thought that taking selfies could put our lives at risk. So much so that “death due to selfie” is a real threat – as a recent case has shown.

Yet another death due to selfie: Mum falls 27 storeys down to her death

Sandra Manuela Da Costa Macedo, a 44-year-old mum with two kids is a recent victim of death due to selfie. While trying to photograph herself on a balcony on the 27th floor, Sandra leaned backwards on the railing. However, she lost her balance and tumbled over, 27 storeys down to the ground.

Footage of the shocking incident was captured by construction workers close by, who were scared that the woman would fall. Their fears, unfortunately, came true.

Witnesses around the area saw her fall while still gripping the selfie stick. One of the witnesses, Erick Alzate, is a resident of the apartment. He confirmed that this death due to selfie was a tragedy that shouldn’t have happened.

“I live here in the tower where she fell. She had been taking selfies for a couple of minutes and construction workers on a block opposite were shouting to her to be careful. ‘She decided to sit on the railing for the last selfie and that’s when she went over the edge,” recalls Alzate.

Once the authorities were notified, paramedics hurried to the site to rescue the woman.

The police suspect that Sandra lost her balance due to strong winds that battered her on the 27th floor.

Netizens have been sharing their condolences on social media. We at theAsianparent also hope that Sandra’s family find the strength to cope after this tragic death.

Watch the video below for more information on the incident. Warning: the video contains distressing content. Viewer discretion is advised.

Safety tips to avoid death due to selfie

Apparently, research from Priceonomics three years ago showed that death due to selfie is likelier to happen than being killed by a shark. That makes sense, considering that people taking selfies can:

veer towards the end of a cliff for the best possible angle
get hit by a car when they take selfies while crossing the road
drown if they bend their bodies too far behind while on a cliff, trying to show the sea’s beauty

Taking selfies might seem fun, but they can quickly become harmful, or even fatal situations. There are definitely some safety tips which all selfie-photographers should follow! Remember:

Do not ever take a selfie while crossing a road or on train tracks
Avoid positioning yourself in a risky way. Impressing others isn’t worth the injury. Or death.
don’t endanger other people nearby while taking a selfie
think it through if now really is the best time to photo yourself. Is the environment safe? If not, is it worth the risk?

Death due to selfie is a common occurrence nowadays. Do remember to take a selfie while you’re sure you can be safe. | Image Source: Stock Photo

Selfies are quick and fun, but parents and children should be aware that selfies can, at times, also be dangerous. But that doesn’t mean you should stop — so long as the selfies are done safely. Those cool and stylish selfies can continue since, most importantly, they’re only successful when done safely.

References: Financial Express, Metro.co.uk, FOSI, youtube

Kevin Wijaya Oey

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