Woman Dies After Water Drinking Contest

[Sterling]

[

[Danny Top Hat]

It's the Nintendo Wii's fault.

[TAP]

I heard a few clips from this radio show and they did get the contestants to sign waivers.  But when the woman who died was complaining about a headache, they basically told her that she would throw up before any real harm came to her.  And when a caller cautioned them that someone could die of water intoxication, they laughed it off and said "They signed waivers."

I believe in personal responsibility, and she was an adult who made a stupid choice.  But I wonder if the radio station should be held at least somewhat responsible since they didn't explain the risks to her.  Or is it up to her to know the risks before she enters a contest like that?

I too believe in personal responsibility, but we can't be expected to know everything - it's obvious that drinking 20 pints of beer could harm you, less obvious that drinking too much water can harm you, and from what you said the radio station told her she would throw up before any harm. I know there are cases of people on Ecstasy drinking themselves to death because E can make you so thirsty, but that's probably not every day knowledge. I don't think it's necessarily irresponsible to believe the radio station if they have said or implied that it's safe.

[Vicious Wishes]

I heard some of the audio of this today. Sad and disgusting are the words that first come to mind, about this. Granted, hind-sight is 20/20, but it's really eery to hear how many times they mentioned death, but plugged on anyway. The worst part of this is that the woman was doing it for her kids. 3 of them, actually.

[Hammy]

Awful.  Really depressin to here stuff like tihs.  My hearts go out to those kids, poor things, and like the above fellow said it's even worse that she was doing something for them, chances are they will feel guilty.

Stupid Radio Contest.  When people sign waivers, they don't really think the radio station would be stupid enough to have something they thought could risk life.  It's a Nintendo Game what's wrong with some questions on old games like Super Mario?

[freedom78]

Hey, I'm having a "Smoke Crack for a Free Snack" contest!  Know any idiots who want to risk their health to save a buck?

[Vicious Wishes]

Hey, I'm having a "Smoke Crack for a Free Snack" contest!? Know any idiots who want to risk their health to save a buck?

I understand what you're saying, but when it's a "drink water for a prize" contest, most people don't think they're gonna die.

[freedom78]

Hey, I'm having a "Smoke Crack for a Free Snack" contest!  Know any idiots who want to risk their health to save a buck?

I understand what you're saying, but when it's a "drink water for a prize" contest, most people don't think they're gonna die.

Yeah, water isn't crack (obviously).  But I think the possibility of your bladder bursting is something that a little brain power could figure out.  Death...I'm sure she didn't consider that.  But anytime you're doing something that causes physical pain, it's probably bad for you.   Either way, it's a shame...especially for her kids.   

[Vicious Wishes]

It is a shame, really. There is no limit to what a parent will do for their children. I'm not trying to make her out to be a martyr, because she obviously wasn't trying to be. She was just a Mom trying to get her kids a Nintendo. But a parent will do stupid things for their kids.

[Walk]

People ought to know more about how osmosis works in cells. Pure water added to blood cells makes them blow up and explode, while salty water makes them shrink into weird shapes. Messing with that sort of thing is just dangerous. This kind of stupidity (of everyone involved) shows that we're devolving, with nothing done to stop it.

[Gordon Gekko]

"God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

Arthur (Big Guy) Carlson

[Bodhi]

this is crazy.....whoever was responsible for this insane contest should go to prison....what a stupid fucking idea...waivers or not.....

[zman]

7employees for the radio show have been fired. And the person who called to let them know that someone can die from this was a regisitered nurse. This is big news here in Sacramento and the authorities are debating on what should be done to the radio station and the persons involved. This is the second time within 2 years that someone has died of water intoxication. Personally if i felt light headed i would of called the hospital not the radio station.

[GeorgeSteele]

"God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

Arthur (Big Guy) Carlson

Isn't this the guy who molested Dudley in Different Strokes?

[Mr. Redman]

Hey, I'm having a "Smoke Crack for a Free Snack" contest!? Know any idiots who want to risk their health to save a buck?

I'm down for this.

[Izzy]

How could the radio station organise something so irresponsible - i hope they get sued

[freedom78]

How could the radio station organise something so irresponsible - i hope they get sued

Come on.  If Kobayashi's stomach exploded after eating 75 hot dogs, would we sue Nathan's?  Or would we say, "Yeah, that figures."  Every time someone does something stupid, it isn't someone else's fault.

The woman who died isn't a child, so she should have some small amount of common sense.  I smell a Darwin Award.

That said, if the radio station plays crappy music, sue 'em anyway.

7employees for the radio show have been fired. And the person who called to let them know that someone can die from this was a regisitered nurse. This is big news here in Sacramento and the authorities are debating on what should be done to the radio station and the persons involved. This is the second time within 2 years that someone has died of water intoxication. Personally if i felt light headed i would of called the hospital not the radio station.

On the other hand, if the radio show is actually CRIMINALLY negligent, then by all means proceed. 

[Prometheus]

How could the radio station organise something so irresponsible - i hope they get sued

I don't think there's much doubt that they will be sued.? California is a litigious state anyway, and what personal injury attorney would pass this up?? Initially, the police said they didn't think there was any crime committed, but like zman said, they are going back and looking again.? When you hear the audio tapes, it's kind of hard to say the radio station is free of responsibility.

we done one identical to it back in '98 or '99 for a n64 on campus...... thing is we knew the  danger of it and it was fully disclosed to all participants, and we had emts standing by to transport anyone feeling off to the ER right away. and no i did not partake, but they all had to sign waivers, 2 people were taken to hospital but no one died...... intrest in doing another one for something was dropped a few years later because of the 2 sent to hospital

[zman]

How could the radio station organise something so irresponsible - i hope they get sued

I don't think there's much doubt that they will be sued.  California is a litigious state anyway, and what personal injury attorney would pass this up?  Initially, the police said they didn't think there was any crime committed, but like zman said, they are going back and looking again.  When you hear the audio tapes, it's kind of hard to say the radio station is free of responsibility.

we done one identical to it back in '98 or '99 for a n64 on campus...... thing is we knew the danger of it and it was fully disclosed to all participants, and we had emts standing by to transport anyone feeling off to the ER right away. and no i did not partake, but they all had to sign waivers, 2 people were taken to hospital but no one died...... intrest in doing another one for something was dropped a few years later because of the 2 sent to hospital

Just watched the news and they  where talking with a lawyer and he was saying even though they signed a realease form the station can still be held responsible. I do beleave they had emergency personel on site but the thing with this lady is that when she went home that is when she started feeling sick and then called the radio station instead of the hospital. I am sure the radio station will be slapped with a law suit.

[SLCPUNK]

Signing a release doesn't really mean anything anymore. They're gonna sue the shit out of them I'm sure.

[Polly Parrot]

How very stupid and irresponsible of the radio station, they should be sued at the least...

[CAFC Nick]

A waiver is a legal document, it's no longer the radio stations fault once the contestant signs a waiver for it.

[Walk]

Waivers are tricky business. You can't sign away basic rights sometimes. They're not always binding. I would have to talk to my uncle if I wanted a 2+ hour long lecture about this sort of thing. It's always nice having a lawyer in the family.

[Mama Kin]

Remember personal responsibility? I don't. Though I've heard of it. I came into the world in a time when we got rid of it. Though I do recall reading of it in books.

Sue the station? Fuck that. Sue the educational system for handing dipolmas like free samples of Tide.

[Vicious Wishes]

Police Probe Death After Radio Contest
By JULIET WILLIAMS
AP
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Jan. 18) - As participants in KDND-FM's water-drinking contest chugged bottle after bottle, a listener called in to warn the disc jockeys that the stunt could be fatal.
"Yeah, we're aware of that," one of them responded.

Another DJ said with a laugh: "Yeah, they signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

Those comments, and others made during the Jan. 12 "Morning Rave" radio show, appeared to give little regard to the risk of water intoxication. But just hours after the contest, a woman who guzzled nearly two gallons was dead.

On Wednesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department launched a criminal investigation into the incident, and attorneys for the family of Jennifer Lea Strange said they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the radio station.

The county coroner said preliminary autopsy findings indicate Strange, a 28-year-old mother of three, died of water intoxication.
Authorities decided to pursue the investigation after listening to a tape of the show, obtained by The Sacramento Bee, during which DJs joked about the possible dangers of consuming too much water, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said. At one point, the DJs even alluded to a college student who died during a similar stunt in 2005.

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.

Several hours into the contest, Strange was interviewed on the air and complained that her head hurt.

"They keep telling me that it's the water. That it will tell my head to hurt and then it will make me puke," she said.
Eventually, Strange gave in and accepted the second-place prize: tickets to a Justin Timberlake  concert. She commented that she looked pregnant, and a female DJ agreed.

"Oh, my gosh, look at that belly. That's full of water. ... Come on over, Jennifer, you OK?" a male DJ asked. "You going to pass out right now? Too much water?"
Several hours later, Strange was found dead in her home.

On Tuesday, KDND's parent company, Entercom/Sacramento, fired 10 employees connected to the contest, including three morning disc jockeys. The company also took the morning show off the air.

Station spokesman Charles Sipkins said Wednesday the company had not yet heard from the sheriff's department but that it would cooperate with the investigation

[zman]

The family's attorney is saying that they might name Nintendo and Justin Timberlake on the lawsuit. That's just ridiculous.

They are going to see if Nintendo & Justin Timberlakes management had any knowledge of this contest. And if they did then they would sue.

[Natasha23]

If the radio station was aware of the danger, they are absolutely responsible.  That doesn't mean the woman did a stupid thing, but her stupidity doesn't mitigate the station's responsibility.  I don't think you can stand behind a waiver when your actions are criminally negligent, which it sounds like they were, if they knew their contest could result in the death of somebody. 
And regarding personal responsibility, the woman's already paid with her life.  Not everyone is aware of water intoxication.  I'd be surprised if she was actually told at the time that what she was doing could be fatal.  She obviously didn't know. 

[Jim]

How could the radio station organise something so irresponsible - i hope they get sued

Come on.  If Kobayashi's stomach exploded...

Oh try and stay on topic please, what with the court case and all there will be 'em everywhere, but what does the lawyer from The Usual Suspects have to do with anything?

[Mama Kin]

If the radio station was aware of the danger, they are absolutely responsible.? That doesn't mean the woman did a stupid thing, but her stupidity doesn't mitigate the station's responsibility.? I don't think you can stand behind a waiver when your actions are criminally negligent, which it sounds like they were, if they knew their contest could result in the death of somebody.?
And regarding personal responsibility, the woman's already paid with her life.? Not everyone is aware of water intoxication.? I'd be surprised if she was actually told at the time that what she was doing could be fatal.? She obviously didn't know.?

Ignorance isn't a lottery ticket.

Of course her family will win money, these days death is the loss of a loved one and your ticket to riches.