ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A St. Louis County family is mourning the loss of a loved one who died after stepping in the area of a downed power line Friday night as severe storms moved through the St. Louis area.
Jennifer Brewington, 43, died in her Florissant backyard following Friday’s severe weather.
Her mother, Adrena, and fiancé, Ethan Foss, said they are heartbroken and hope this story will serve as a cautionary tale for anyone who encounters downed power lines.
The two described Jennifer as a fun, caring, silly person who loved her family and life. They said they are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from their families, Jennifer’s friends and their church communities.
Still, they can’t believe this happened.
“Unbelievable that it even happened, and that she’s gone,” Adrena said. “She was my whole world.”
Brewington said it happened late Friday night after the storms knocked down power lines in their backyard.
Her daughter told her she was going to bed. Shortly after that, Jennifer’s dog came into Adrena’s room, and the mother noticed the back door was open.
That’s when she said she heard a loud buzzing noise.
Brewington said she searched the house, and then the yard, and eventually found her daughter by a downed power line, clinging onto life.
She said she called 911, but Jennifer died before the medics could administer aid.
Jennifer’s fiancé, Ethan Foss, said he was at work at the time of the tragedy.
Foss said they are left with questions and still wonder why Jennifer went in the backyard.
But more than anything, he said they miss their loved one, whom he affectionately called “peanut.”
Foss described Jennifer as a fun-loving person, who cared deeply for animals and enjoyed messing with the people closest to her.
He said she had a knack for gifting funny T-shirts and would have hated all of this publicity.
“That was her, always the puns and the jokes, and the sarcasm. It just made life great,” Foss said. “She always brought a smile to everybody.”
Brewington said she hopes parents will hear this story and take advantage of the time they have with their kids.
“Enjoy every day with your children. Figure out a way to get along with them and love them,” Brewington said. “Because it’s precious.”
Ameren shared safety tips related to downed power lines with FOX 2:
- Stay clear of any downed power lines or poles.
- Always assume a downed wire is live. Be careful around pools of water. Stay clear of brush, shrubs and downed trees that may hide downed power lines.
- Customers should report any downed power lines to the Ameren Missouri customer line: 800-552-7583.
Ameren Safety Department Fire Protection Engineer Tim Frankenberg told FOX 2 you can get electrocuted without even touching a downed power line.
That’s because the electrical current goes beyond the wire itself. The phenomenon is known as “step potential.”
Frankenberg said a downed power line can be especially dangerous if it’s lying on a metal or aluminum fence or siding or a body of water.
That’s why they advise people to stay a minimum of 30-50 feet away from any downed power line.
For more safety tips, visit Ameren’s website.