Woman drinks so much water she dies

[ZeoBandit]

Woman drinks so much water she dies
POSTED: 10:33 p.m. EST, January 13, 2007
Story Highlights
• Woman, 28, dies of water intoxication, assistant coroner says
• Radio contest required drinking large amounts, not voiding
• Victim was trying to win video game console for her children

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."

[Menlow]

How terribly sad. You would expect to hear a story like this involving alcohol and a fraternity, not water and a radio station. I feel really bad for her children. What a stupid promotion.

[gradyvanhyman]

unbile

[Viking]

What's that I hear? The sound of the stampeding feet of attorneys heading in her family's direction.

[vh_chick]

I heard of this happening before at a frat house or something. They thought it would be OK since it was just water.

Shari

[Viking]

I heard of this happening before at a frat house or something. They thought it would be OK since it was just water.

Shari

Nope, even too much water is toxic. It has to be a lot of water, but it can be done.

[Goo]

"Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest

Sounds like a pretty classy gig. How could anything possibly go wrong??

[JMJ]

drinking too much water at one time will cause your brain to hemmorage

[Kevy5150]

Poor woman did it for her children. Awful.

I once consumed a whole gallon within 55 minutes. I never pissed so much in my life.

[vhrocker]

Man the things parents will do for their kids.

[Number 47]

Tragic!

[Wickett]

Here's part of the audio from the show..

http://www.sacbee.com/static/newsroom/kdndslides/

[onefootoutthedoor]

It did happen at Chico State University here in California a few years ago. Four of the fraternity members pleaded guilty. Two were sentenced to 1yr in prison for 2nd degree manslaughter, one was sentenced to 6mos. for accessory to manslaughter, and the last one got 90 days for hazing.

The saddest thing about all of this is that they were saying on the radio had she taken a single salt tablet, she would have lived.