Woman dies in Wii contest

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/13/wat....ap/index.html


This screams Darwin award. It also occurs to me that this radio station could be in some trouble.


Woman drinks so much water she dies
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 All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Maybe the Darwin Award comment shouldn't have made but I have never heard of water intoxication death, I always figured that water intoxication death was drowning. After some research on water intoxication death---I guess you CAN teach an Old Dog New Tricks


grizz

[djturnz]

They did a similar contest on Howard Stern show years ago. IT was a contest to see who could go without peeing the longest. They actual had a doctor call in and tell them that it could thin your blood and cause other problems. I think he suggested salt tablets. IIRC, most contestants were disqualified because they puked.

[KeithPA]

You are correct....They had a doctor on the other day that said too much water dilluted the sodium in her body causing cardiac arrest.

I thought she only drank a little over a gallon? I didnt' think that was that much...

[LorDiego01]

I read this morning she drank a bit over two gallons.

Question,

Did her kids at least get the Wii???

Secondly, given the stats, and how dangerous water can be, it is clear that we should ban water ownership.

[billamj]

Secondly, given the stats, and how dangerous water can be, it is clear that we should ban water ownership.

Sorry Diego, but it is a proven fact that no one can own water. You can only rent it and when you're done it goes into the system to be recycled.

[KeithPA]

I dont' think there is a need to ban water.... but I would be fine with sensible water laws......

1. backround checks
2. fingerprinting
3. state issued ID required to buy water
4. a limit on how many ounces of water per water jug (10 for handjugs and 20 for longjugs)
5. a safe for storing water

I think we can all agree that that sensible water laws will save lives

I don't think she got the Wii.....She didn't win... new thought to the phrase "died trying"