News & Politics - Women in water-drinking contest dies

Lain · 01-15-2007, 11:25 PM

Well, it was either using the title of the article or the title of the contest for the thread title. It was a hard choice.

Woman in water-drinking contest dies
Water intoxication eyed in ‘Hold Your Wee for a Wii’ contest death
The Associated Press
Updated: 5:24 p.m. HT Jan 13, 2007

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.”

Source: Click here

Talk about bizzare and crazy

My question is if it was really worth doing something like this for a Nintendo Wii? Poor lady.

S.A.S.H.A. · 01-15-2007, 11:46 PM

I heard about this earlier this weekend, and my first thought was her poor children. If that was my mother, I'd feel soooooooooooo guilty.

Sasha

**TheAngel** · 01-16-2007, 11:40 AM

That's horrible, but I've heard about things like that. In the military, especially in basic training, they're very careful to look for the signs of water intoxication, which are very similar to alcohol intoxication. I really feel bad for her children.

**Lost in Translation** · 01-16-2007, 05:22 PM

I feel so bad for the children. I had no idea that water intoxication existed, but then again I never figured that people wouldn't hit the washroom

chicah · 01-17-2007, 08:09 AM

We actually talked about this in class today, when we had our weekly "what has happened this week"-lesson. Personally I think it's just plain stupid. Our teacher explained how it was possible, that if you hold your pee long enough, it will eventually go into your blood, which again causes an intoxication.

-Kelly- · 01-18-2007, 12:57 AM

It's so awful

**TheAngel** · 01-18-2007, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Ten Fired After Radio Contest Tragedy
Listener Called to Warn of Potential Danger
CBS News
(Jan. 17) - A Sacramento-area radio station fired 10 employees, including three morning disc jockeys, in reaction to a tragedy in which a woman died Friday after an on-air water-drinking contest at the station's studios.

Jennifer Strange apparently died from water intoxication after taking part in a contest to see how much water one could drink without going to the bathroom.

The hosts of the KDND-FM "Morning Rave" show - who go by the on-air names Trish, Maney and Lukas - were fired a day after the station suspended the show and said it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, died after participating in a water-drinking contest on the hit music radio station, which calls itself – playing on the sound of its call letters – The End.

During the contest, a listener - self-identified as a nurse - called the live radio broadcast and warned that the game was dangerous.

"I want to say that those people drinking all that water can get sick and die from water intoxication," said the caller.

"Yeah, we're aware of that," replied a DJ, according to a broadcast news report. "They signed releases so we're not responsible, okay?"

Donnie Logsdon – one of the 18 contestants trying to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console by drinking the most water without going to the bathroom – says contestants didn't hear that on-air warning in the room where he and the others were filling up way beyond comfort.

"Maybe she would have walked away," says Logsdon. "But we didn't hear that inside there."

Strange was second to last to stop drinking, and when she bowed out, she did say on the air that she was not feeling well.

"My head hurts. They keep telling me that it's the water...that it will tell my head to hurt and it'll make me puke." Strange told the DJ, live on the air, before leaving the station. "Who told you that, the intern?" was the DJ's response, according to a KOVR-TV news report.

John Geary, vice president and general manager of KDND parent company, Entercom/Sacramento, announced the firings in an e-mail to reporters: "Effective immediately, the 'Morning Rave' program is canceled and ten employees are no longer with the station."

A company spokesman, Charles Sipkins, confirmed that the three DJs, as well as two other on-air personalities, "Carter" and "Fester," are among those fired. Five other employees who worked on the "Morning Rave" also were let go. All 10 were fired, the spokesman said, for violating terms of their employee agreements.

The "Morning Rave" had been on the air for about five years and was one of Sacramento's top-rated morning radio shows.

During the contest, participants were given two minutes to drink an 8-ounce bottle of water and then given another bottle to drink after a 10-minute break.

The contest was called "Hold your Wee for a Wii."

Contestant James Ybarra said he quit drinking after imbibing eight bottles, but Strange, who placed second, and other would-be winners kept going even after they were handed even larger containers.

In all, according to witness reports, Strange may have consumed nearly two gallons. Afterward, she appeared ill when she went on the air, one contestant said.

After the contest, Strange called in sick to work, crying and saying she was heading home in terrible pain. About five hours later, Strange – who had three children - was found dead by her mother at her home in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova.
According to the Sacramento County coroner, preliminary autopsy findings indicate she died of water intoxication.

Drinking large quantities of water rapidly can throw off the body's balance of electrolytes, causing brain swelling and leading to seizures, coma, or even death.

Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, which would have jurisdiction over the KDND incident, said officers are not investigating Strange's death.

"It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion. On its face, it appears it was all done voluntarily, and no criminal activity was involved," Curran said.

In the studio, Ybarra said Strange showed fellow contestants photographs of her two sons and daughter, for whom she was hoping to win the Nintendo Wii. The game console retails for about $250.

It's just crazy to think about this. I mean, they were getting warnings and weren't stopping. It's wild.

Love & Passion · 01-20-2007, 11:49 PM

I feel so sorry for the kids...

prside · 01-21-2007, 10:36 PM

My gosh. The radio station really should have better informed the contestants of the risks of drinking too much water. Because certainly nobody thinks of it by themselves.

WildAtHeart · 01-21-2007, 10:41 PM

i read about that few days ago. I think it was the same story./ I feel so bad for her kids

**s e r e n i t y** · 01-22-2007, 09:27 AM

I heard this on the news and it was shocking, the radio station really should check to see if the contests are safe or not, and then they didnt listen to the warnings thats just terrible, to think that she was doing it for her kids it just makes me feel awful.

**Rainstorm Jenny** · 01-23-2007, 12:28 AM

Oh my, that is aweful and just to win a Nintendo Wii video game system, and she dies by drinking tons of water

Jacob1983 · 01-23-2007, 12:54 PM

Was the woman even warned by the radio station that she would get sick and possibly die? I think this whole incident is awful. The radio station and its employees should be held responsible.
Did you hear how the employees treated the woman on the air? They were actually joking about her being sick and in pain. Those people deserve some jail time in my opinion.

Lain · 01-23-2007, 05:38 PM

ETA- I think this is referencing what Jacob is talking about. Those DJs are HORRIBLE

Link: Link to article of DJ's actually making fun of the stunt

An update via: This Link

Quote:

Strange's Lawyer Asks FCC To Pull Station Off Air
Dreyer Wants The "Death Penalty" For 107.9 The End
Jennifer Strange Death Case

(CBS13) SACRAMENTO Lawyers for the family of Jennifer Strange have asked the FCC to "terminate" the license of 107.9 "The End" and discipline its parent company, Entercom for sponsoring a contest that may have led to Strange's death.

According to a press release Roger Dreyer, senior partner of the law firm Dreyer, Babich, Buccola and Callaham, wrote in a letter sent to the FCC Sunday: “We believe the conduct of the radio management and on air staff mandates that your agency terminate the radio station’s license and discipline its ownership for the wanton disregard of the safety of the participants in this contest."

On January 12, 2006, Jennifer Strange was one of about 18 contestants who tried to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console by determining how much water they could drink without going to the bathroom. The show's DJs called the contest "Hold your Wee for a Wii."

The attorney claims the radio station did not investigate the dangers of the contest, and the station did not disclose any potential health hazards. Dreyer adds that the employees ignored the contestants complaints and instead pressured them to drink more water.

Strange's family is giving Entercom until Wednesday to provide information, stating: "'We want to be fair and reasonable, but if Entercom fails to preserve and provide all pertinent information, we will be filing our wrongful death suit on Thursday."

Attorneys also want the release form signed by contestants, tape recordings of the program, and the whereabouts of the 10 fired workers.

The station has declined to comment on the letter.

S.A.S.H.A. · 01-23-2007, 09:00 PM

And all this tragedy over a Wii.

Sasha


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