Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old Rancho Cordova, Calif. mother of three, died of acute water intoxication in January, 2007 after the challenge to see which contestant could drink the most water without using the restroom. If it's caught early, treatment with IV fluids containing electrolytes can lead to a complete recovery; but untreated, hyponatremia is fatal. DOC Case Study - Los Angeles Mission College Once the contest was narrowed down to two, Strange and the eventual winner, Lucy Davidson, were brought into the studio. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. display: none; "Like, a nurse called.". A preliminary investigation found evidence consistent with a water intoxication death, said assistant Coroner Ed Smith. None of the contestants had any idea what they had gotten themselves into. Arkansas woman indicted for selling stolen body parts to Pennsylvania man Without electrolytes, the body can't function (see What are electrolytes? Copyright 2023, Thomson Reuters. [63] This special also culminated with "Bye Bye Bye" by N'Sync. It was her choice to enter Friday morning's contest. 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. Peeing contest 'Hold your wee for a Wii' killed woman; now radio "The biggest thing that got most of us was all of the phone calls that came in," she said. A nurse shocked at the idea, called on air to the Morning Rave Show at station KDND in California to warn that contestants were endangering their lives from water contamination. Jan. 16, 2007. http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/2007/01/16/3387786-sun.html, "Woman drinks so much water she dies." In fact, Carrington's case came up on Friday. [37], The Associated Press reported that the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman said no officers were investigating the death and that, "It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion. ", "Your body is 98 percent water," one of the hosts remarked to his on-air audience. The Courier News. How can someone die from drinking too much water? But when someone drinks a tremendous amount of water in a short period of time, and the water does not contain any added electrolytes, the cellular maintenance system can't handle the level of sodium dilution that occurs. However, the Federal Communications Commission has not acted in any way., Kevin Geary, a spokesman for KDNDs parent , Entercom Communications, said the events in 2007 were tragic. Water intoxication: When a person drinks large quantities of water rapidly, the normal balance of electrolytes in the body can be diluted to the point that brain function is disturbed, leading to. Water drinking contest blamed in death of California woman The co-worker contacted Strange's mother, who went to her home an hour later to find her daughter dead.