Woman drinks so much water she dies at age 28

[Stackt]

Tweet• 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 (Nintendo Wii) 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."

[kite]

TweetDamn

[T-Man007]

TweetDamn man, to imagine she was doing that for her kids, that sucks! Did the radio station have any medical personel around for this contest? I'm not a sue happy person, but I'm wondering if the radio station took the right precautions. Especially the part about giving the contestants larger bottles after they small ones, that's just stupid. They should have stayed with the small ones. And those poor kids, good God, that's just sad.

[Testify]

TweetThis happened to a woman at the Boston Marathon last year too.

Drinking large amounts of water in a short period of time will wash away sodium, which is necessary in lower amounts for life. At least, that is the way the Globe and Herald explained it. So, be sure to drink a sports drink if running a marathon - not just water.

[VveTTe917]

TweetNow there are two sides of this story. I heard on the radio, JV and Elvis were talking about this story for a while and gave the full details. The 2 DJ's that have this morning show that did this contest made sure she signed a paper saying they are not responsible for anything that happens. Now these guys were getting phonecalls from people, while the woman was drinking the water, saying that she could actually die from this and that they should stop the contest, and the DJ's were making fun of her saying, well if she dies, she dies, she signed a document so were covered etc. Now the woman is an idiot for doing it in the first place, but the management obviously didn't look into this deep enough to realize this could cause damage to your body and poissible die.

[solidground]

Tweetyea this happened a few weeks ago, the radio station is at fault 100%..^^JV and Elvis are the ****, by far the best radio show out there

[T-Man007]

Tweet

Now there are two sides of this story. I heard on the radio, JV and Elvis were talking about this story for a while and gave the full details. The 2 DJ's that have this morning show that did this contest made sure she signed a paper saying they are not responsible for anything that happens. Now these guys were getting phonecalls from people, while the woman was drinking the water, saying that she could actually die from this and that they should stop the contest, and the DJ's were making fun of her saying, well if she dies, she dies, she signed a document so were covered etc. Now the woman is an idiot for doing it in the first place, but the management obviously didn't look into this deep enough to realize this could cause damage to your body and poissible die.

The very fact they said 'if she dies, she dies' shows their negligence. If I ask you to sign a waiver saying I'm not responsible for you killing yourself and supply the gun you use in Russion Rulette, I'm still at fault. That piece of paper won't hold up in court. Especially if they were fair warned of the possible side effects. It sounds to me they showed complete and totaly negligence by ignoring the warnings.

[daved150]

Tweetwow...what a drag.

[supasaiyan99]

TweetSucks! RIP!

[TURBO3000]

TweetDoesn't have much to do with the sodium in your body. Basically, it causes your cells to burst. Your cells are mostly water, an extreme excess can make them burst.

[VveTTe917]

Tweet

yea this happened a few weeks ago, the radio station is at fault 100%..^^JV and Elvis are the ****, by far the best radio show out there

oh hell yea, listen to them everyday.

[jipped genes]

Tweetit happened once to a kid pledging a frat when i was in college. the kid died from drinking too much water

[mtnmedic]

TweetHyponatremia (sp) water intoxication.

[SMILEY FACE]

Tweetthat its a week old...but RIP.
it was on msnbc