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[El Nino]

From http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...n_x.htm?csp=34

Water intoxication kills mother trying to win Wii
Updated 1/15/2007 7:32 AM ET
SACRAMENTO (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 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."

How sad. I didn't even know it was possible to die from drinking too much water.

[Rich]

Saw this on MSN yesterday... very sad..

[IGobyTerry]

Really sad. It shows how devoted parents are towards making their children happy.

[MGCJerry]

Originally Posted by El Nino

How sad. I didn't even know it was possible to die from drinking too much water.

Yup... There is a such thing as drinking too much water, and it happens more frequently than most people think.

Anyway, people normally listen to that little voice in their head that says "dont do it", then they ignore the physical warnings. Sorry, but I just have no sympathy for stupidity.

Guess the wii was worth it, she won it, but lost her life and her kids lost their mother...

[csparks]

Wow, its seems that the radio stationed would had made sure it was safe to drink large amounts of water before they held the content, sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

[Carp]

STUPID IDEA!!

I live in upstate New York.

In Plattsburgh, a few years ago a frat got shut down and some charged with murder for this same act on a new pledge.

[fastnoc]

I didn't know you could O/D on water until a few years ago. It doesn't surprise me that the radio station thought of the trick but it's amazing nobody realized it before.

They could have easily specified a certain amount to drink that wasn't over the top. Then see who could hold out the longest. But that's just nuts.

[CaroNet-Hesham]

It's because of over diluting your system with water..the normal range of human electrolytes gets out of balance

[Barti1987]

None of the contestants were warned, even after a nurse called the station to warn about the outcomes!

Peace,