Woman Dies After Radio Contest for Wii

[Razor Shines]

This is really sad. And kind of stupid, you're body relieves itself for a reason.

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- 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 known 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 8-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 her kids."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Razor Shines]

I was just listening to another radio show about this and they played a clip from the above show. And someone called in and said "these people could die from water intoxication, you should stop this contest." And the DJ said "we know, but they signed a release so it's ok."

[HotCorner]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

I was just listening to another radio show about this and they played a clip from the above show. And someone called in and said "these people could die from water intoxication, you should stop this contest." And the DJ said "we know, but they signed a release so it's ok."

Nice.

[cumberlandreds]

I had a teacher in junior high once say,"Too much of anything can kill you." Unfortunately this act of stupidity proves it.

[Matt700wlw]

I honestly had never heard of water intoxication until this story.....maybe I'm just dumb (don't answer that) Something you don't think about, maybe.....I mean, it's water.

I guess if the lady was taking a pee breaks, her body could have handled the water intake. We pee for a reason.

So, I guess it's like internal drowning.......yikes.

[gonelong]

Originally Posted by Matt700wlw

I honestly had never heard of water intoxication until this story.....

its a fairly common issue among marathon runners. I think the word is getting out a bit, but I know quite a few pretty serious runners that hadn't thought it was possible.

GL

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines 1B

I was just listening to another radio show about this and they played a clip from the above show. And someone called in and said "these people could die from water intoxication, you should stop this contest." And the DJ said "we know, but they signed a release so it's ok."

They were playing clips from this on Opie & Anthony this morning. It was scary listening to the clips -- especially the part where she says that an intern told her that she was going to be all right because her body would just puke up anything that was bad for her or too much.

Usually I'd be against blaming the radio hosts when someone freely signs up to do something stupid -- but they reassured her that she'd be OK and that they had the situation covered.

That's bad. REAL bad.

[Matt700wlw]

For the sake of the company I work for, I'm glad it wasn't a Clear Channel stunt.

We've done our share of crazy things, but this went over the edge.

[Matt700wlw]

Originally Posted by gonelong

its a fairly common issue among marathon runners. I think the word is getting out a bit, but I know quite a few pretty serious runners that hadn't thought it was possible.

GL

I read up on it, to edumicate myself, and it makes sense now.

That's why a lot of them drink gatorade and such....electrolytes.

[Highlifeman21]

I hope they at least gave her kids the Wii.

I wonder how well written/worded that "release" was for the radio station.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

They were playing clips from this on Opie & Anthony this morning. It was scary listening to the clips -- especially the part where she says that an intern told her that she was going to be all right because her body would just puke up anything that was bad for her or too much.

Usually I'd be against blaming the radio hosts when someone freely signs up to do something stupid -- but they reassured her that she'd be OK and that they had the situation covered.

That's bad. REAL bad.

I didn't hear it. Did they also talk about some kid who had died of water intoxication at Chico State in 2005? From what I've heard, it just sounds like these guys weren't thinking from the get go.

[creek14]

Back in the 80's (1980's, not 1880's as some of you might think) I worked with developmentally disabled adults. One of our clients drank 2 gallons of water (not while in our care) in about a 1/2 hour (I have no idea how) and almost died from water intoxication.

I feel bad for those kids who lost a mom.