Chosen Solution
Dead battery in this case is one that will NOT charge. When I plug the phone into the wall, the screen shows the ITunes logo (recovery mode). When I plug the phone into the computer, nothing happens. Can the battery be the cause or is something else broken / damaged in the phone?
Use a powered USB hub to restore it or recover data. If it is water damaged then you will have to take it apart and clean the corrosion.
