Water intoxication blamed in death of woman who competed radio station contest.

Culture & Society Forum

01/14/2007: Category: General Posted by: Editors
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A woman who competed in a radio station’s contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner’s office said Saturday.

Jennifer Strange, 28, was found dead Friday in her suburban Rancho Cordova home hours after taking part in the “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest in which KDND 107.9 promised a Nintendo Wii video game system for the winner.

“She said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad,” said Laura Rios, one of Strange’s co-workers at Radiological Associates of Sacramento. “She was crying and that was the last that anyone had heard from her.”

It was not immediately know how much water Strange consumed.

A preliminary investigation found evidence “consistent with a water intoxication death,” said assistant Coroner Ed Smith.

John Geary, vice president and marketing manager for Entercom Sacramento, the station’s owner, said station personnel were stunned when they heard of Strange’s death.

“We are awaiting information that will help explain how this tragic event occurred,” he said.

Initially, contestants were handed eight-ounce bottles of water to drink every 15 minutes.

“They were small little half-pint bottles, so we thought it was going to be easy,” said fellow contestant James Ybarra of Woodland. “They told us if you don’t feel like you can do this, don’t put your health at risk.”

Ybarra said he quit after drinking five bottles. “My bladder couldn’t handle it anymore,” he added.

After he quit, he said, the remaining contestants, including Strange, were given even bigger bottles to drink.

“I was talking to her and she was a nice lady,” Ybarra said. “She was telling me about her family and her three kids and how she was doing it for kids."

Poor lady. Just trying to get a system for her kids, and died for it.

That's sad, I wonder how much she actually darnk.

I'm sorry for this lady, however, this is the most ludicrous thing Ive ever heard. I saw this on the news tonight, and my first thought was....not only are the people who thought of this complete idiots, but the people that competed in this are the same.

Who in their right mind would have tried to drink like this and not go to the bathroom when needed?

The bladder and kidney are not something to mess with. I cant believe that there are adults in this world that don't realize how holding in urniation can cause some major issues.

Goodness...its one thing to hold it in for a couple minutes...but obviously this lady held it in for way too long.

What a crappy way to go out.

But this family is going to sue the crap out of that radio station. I can just see every radio program director in the country sending a memo to the promotions department about this.

-HECK!

What kind of person comes up with a, "Hold your wee" contest?

Just another radio stunt contest. I organized the traditional "touch a car for as long as you can and the last person touching it wins" contest.

I tell you what though, people do wacky stuff to win things. There was this one contest at a station, forget where exactly, but you had to ride in this roller coaster all day and the last person who stayed in it won a car. You would ride in this thing for like 10 hours or whatever then sleep in it. Something like 4 people stayed in it for three weeks and refused to give up. It was nuts.

-HECK!

How long did she drink water and hold it in for? I can't believe people can hold it in and keep drinking.

Not sure of the specifics. Looks like she was just holding it and holding it.

I was hungover once and ironically I was working for a radio station at the time. I had to set up and oversee this event. Afterward I am craving water like only a man with a true hangover can. So I grab a one liter bottle of Aquafina or whatever and nearly down the whole thing except for a sip or two. I started to feel sick right awyay. Not like hangover sick but internally, uh-oh something is really wrong sick. It went away though thankfully.

-HECK!

I heard on the radio today that the whole morning crew was fired over the deal. (My local morning crew found this funny. )


Whatever. Sounds like the station owner fired everyone, when he should be resigning as well. Probably canned them to stop the lawsuit, but me figures the jury will see through it.

I just read that. Axed a bunch of people. I bet the whole promotion department was wiped out. I should send in a resume.

-HECK!

Put on your resume that you have never killed anyone at work. That should help some.

Well, I lie about my PowerPoint skills already. Why not stretch that truth a little more.

-HECK!

water intoxication is kind of like alcohol poisoning. It's not really that she didn't pee so much as her body couldn't process the intake.

surprisingly enough, it's relatively easy to do. especially if our working out or outside on a hot day and sweet and you drink a lot of water in a short period. like a chug a couple of 20 oz within a an hour or so.

I read about how this happens in my bio and chem book.
Bottled water lacks certain things in all natural spring water and tap. bottled is still filtered.
Too much water suchs all the salt ions and other cations and ions out of the bodies cells causing them to die and shrivel as they are diffused from cells to the blood. probably why she had such a bad headache.
Anyway, molecules move from higher concentration to lower concentration - that much water in her system with low concentration (because it was bottled water with no salts or other stuff) would have caused her internal cells to shrink ect ect.

Geez... That's some crazy ish...

I am a juice nut. I crave juice and really can't seem to get enough of it. I eat like a freakin monster too, but I've NEVER felt sick after drinking a ton of bottled water. I almost thought the title of this thread was a joke, to be honest. I've just never heard of a thing like that. My heart goes out to her family, especially the kids...

I've heard of this before but it was some crazy frat initiation hazing deal. This sort of thing makes me wonder if the woman had some kidney problem prior to this.

Regardless, it's not good to hold it people. When you gotta pee you gotta pee.

-HECK!

Jan. 18, 2007 — The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has launched a homocide investigation into the death of Jennifer Lea Strange, a mother of three who died after drinking too much water during a radio-station contest on Jan. 12.

The Strange family is also expected to file a wrongful death suit against KDND-FM, the station responsible for the contest, the winner of which won a video game console.


Tapes Released From Deadly Radio Show
Related: Who Was Responsible for Radio Show Death?



According to The Associated Press, the family of the woman, 28, will announce the lawsuit at a news conference today in Sacramento, Calif.

Detectives opened the criminal probe after listening to a tape of the broadcast obtained by The Sacramento Bee newspaper. In the recording, Strange tells the show's three disc jockeys that she is lightheaded and does not feel well. They respond with sarcastic sympathy.

Strange was one of 18 participants in a contest the disc jockeys on KDND's "Morning Rave" program called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."

The contestant who drank the most water without going to the bathroom would win a Nintendo Wii gaming console.

Strange came in second after drinking nearly two gallons of water. Preliminary findings from the Sacramento County coroner's office indicated that her death was "consistent with water intoxication."

Judy Linder, a registered nurse, was listening to the program and was so alarmed that she asked a colleague to call and warn the station.

"She told them you could die from water intoxication," Linder told ABC affiliate KXTV in Sacramento. "He [the disc jockey] pretty much blew that off and said they signed a release so, so what? Then he said why don't your guys come down here and do it, and we said because we don't want to die."


Jokes About Danger

According to a tape of the show, the disc jockeys appeared to joke about the possible dangers of consuming too much water and alluded to a college student who had died during such a stunt in 2005.

"Yeah, we're aware of that," one of the disc jockeys said.

Another disc jockey said: "Yeah. They signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

"And if they get to the point where they have to throw up, then they're going to throw up, and they're out of the contest before they die, so that's good, right?" another disc jockey said.


The transcript also suggests that the announcers were aware that Strange appeared to struggle during the water-drinking contest.



Disc Jockey: "Jennifer, I heard you were not doing too well."


Tapes Released From Deadly Radio Show
Related: Who Was Responsible for Radio Show Death?




Strange:"My head hurts."



Disc Jockey: "Aw."



Strange: "They keep telling me it's the water. It will tell my head to hurt and that it will make me puke, but."



Disc Jockey: "Who told you that? The intern?"



Strange: "Yeah. It makes you. … It hurts, but it makes me feel lightheaded."




Firings at Station


KDND's parent company, Entercom/Sacramento, has fired 10 people, including the three announcers involved in the contest on Tuesday, and yanked "Morning Rave" from the air.



The company has promised to cooperate with the homicide investigation.



John Geary, the general manager of Entercom/Sacramento, recorded a statement for radio station listeners on Tuesday.



"First and foremost, our thoughts and sympathies go out to Jennifer's family and loved ones," he said. "I also want to assure you that the circumstances regarding this matter are being examined as thoroughly as possible."



Water intoxication can be a problem for marathon runners and other athletes who lose fluids and replace them too rapidly, but there are other infamous cases alleging water intoxication.



In 2005, Matthew Carrington, 21, of Chico, Calif., died after drinking excessive amounts of water during a fraternity initiation. Four fraternity members pleaded guilty to manslaughter and misdemeanor hazing in his death.



Sacramento lawyer and former U.S. attorney Bill Portanova believes that the Carrington case will be important to any lawsuit filed against KDND.

If KDND's disc jockeys alluded to Carrington's death, Portanova said, then they should have known about the risks. As for Strange's signed release form, according to Portanova, "You can't agree in advance to someone's negligence."



Portanova said he would be surprised to see an out-of-court settlement.

Snaps. These DJ's could be charged with manslaughter. Dumb asses.

-HECK!

This is an unfortunate tragedy for this woman and her family. However, too many people always want to blame one party over those who volunteer to participate in such events.

At the risk of sounding insensitive, the contest wasn’t mandatory. Everyone entered of their own free will or volition. Why should the radio station bear full blame for criminal or civil liabilities?

I saw the people kissing the car thing to win the automobile. I guess if they get a bad case of chapped lips, they can sue the station that held the event for making them kiss the car for 12 or so hours.

In retrospect (which is always 20/20) it was a bad idea. The promoters should have done their research before putting on any event no matter how small or large. But I also have to lay some blame on those who participate in such grueling tests of physical fortitude. The human body usually give signs when it's had enough. Long before you get sicker than sick, the body rejects whatever it is that's making it sick. Why keep forcing your body to accept it then complain that it's someone else's fault?

Just another perspective.

I see your point oneofpeace. She could have left at any time. No one forced her to drink all that water. What if she went to the supermakert and sucked down 5 liters of water. Could she sue the market? No.

In the letter of the law though there is a difference. I don't think criminal charges will be brought. Certainly though a civil suit will be filed and more than likely settled for quite a sum. And I think rightfully so. After listening to the audio broadcast the DJ's and promotions people acted negligently.

-HECK!

If we are going to blame anybody other than the woman who made the decision to drink too much water, maybe we should blame the food police of our modern culture. Who would have thought that too much water could be toxic when we are constantly admonished about the risk of not drinking enough or it? I think the current recommendation is something like fifteen glasses per day.

It used to be that on New Years Eve, we were instructed about the danger of drinking too much alcohol, which could lead to getting a D.U.I. or even killing yourself or someone else. But these days, we are warned on New Years Eve that the alcohol can lead to the dreaded dehydration.

A couple years ago, in Oregon, there was a case of some people who were reported to the authorities on the suspicion of child abuse. It seems that some bystanders thought the suspects’ children looked dehydrated and called the police.

The poor woman in the contest probably thought she was making herself really healthy by participating.

NO that's just I don't even have a word for what that is but here's my point. THe people who put on the contest knew there was risk because they mentioned it during the boradcast, other cases where poeple had died. The woman complained that she wasn't feeling well and they told her it was normal. They were aware there were some risks, those risks were dismissed and werent disclosed to the partisipants so they are liable.

No offense to the lady, but she should have been smart enough to stop, not stupid enough to keep going.
Sad turn of events for her and her family - true.

this sounds bad on my part - but don't think they should get any money what so ever. just like the mcdonalds women who was stupid enough to burn her yahoo.
I mean, if i were to drink a bunch of beer and drive and die - could my family sue budlight?

thats nt the same thing though.

its like if you were to go I don't know say you get something pierced and you tell he guy hey somethings not right and he tells you it's normal and then your ear falls off. Yes she should have stopped when she started feeling funny, but when she said something they told her it was a normal reaction knowing it coul have been a serious problem. people trust people when they think they know what they are talking about.

now everyone knows coffee=hot, not everyone knows drinking water can kill you.

and not peeing wasn't smart, but the truth is she could have peed the entire time and had the same outcome, it's about the body not being able to process it not expel it.

True that. Even too much oxygen can kill you.

-HECK!

this story is just sooo stupid. I mean its a tragedy and I feel bad for the family especially her kids that she wanted the game for BUT c'mon, the radio station should have known better. Something as horrible as this should never have happened

I suppose one can compete in everything then...perhaps a "hold your poo for a wii" would have been less dangereous for your health.