That in turn can lead to swelling of the brain, seizures, comas and in some cases death. Cause of Death Confirmed as "Water Intoxication" A 28-year-old woman has died after taking part in [radio station] The End 107.9's "water drinking contest". "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" Costs Radio Station Dearly At the time of the incident, Laura Rios, one of Strange's co-workers at Radiological Associates of Sacramento said Strange "said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad She was crying and that was the last that anyone had heard from her.". Question: CHALLENGE #5: HOLD YOUR WEE FOR A WII A California woman died over the weekend after participating in a "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" radio promotion. All rights reserved. In that contest, a woman died, Wilson said. According to the AP, Jennifer Strange, a mother of three children, died of acute water intoxication. Also, when a caller who identified herself as a nurse warned that contestants could face illness or death, an on-air personality replied, 'Yeah, they signed releases so we're not responsible so it's okay.' Media Action Center founder Sue Wilson, producer of a 2009 documentary, Broadcast Blues, on Stranges death, said the groups intend to formally serve papers when FCC commissioners meet in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22. In July 1998, two years after the sale of the station to Entercom (now Audacy, Inc . Because as tragic as Strange's death was, other contestants on Friday were nearly as ill. "No one was more sick than anyone else," Campos says. The results of a preliminary investigation released Saturday showed evidence "consistent with water intoxication death in the death of 28-year-old Jennifer Strange, Sacramento County assistant coroner Ed Smith Billy Strange said she is truly her mother's daughter, a comfort to the entire family. This site is protected by Jan. 16, 2007. http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/2007/01/16/3387786-sun.html, "Woman drinks so much water she dies." The Sacramento Bee released audio clips from the morning show indicating that the disc jockeys were aware of the death of Matthew Carrington by water intoxication. [17], In the early 1990s, KXOA-FM's popularity began to wane following the launch of competitors in KYMX and KGBY; ratings fell by roughly half from 1990 to 1993. Before the song was finished, KDND's transmitter was shut down on February 8 at 12:01a.m., bringing a close to the nearly 70-year history of the station. Texas man who lost wife and son in shooting shares story, NYPD officer Troy Patterson dies 33 years after being shot in robbery, Supreme Court to hear case that could curb power of federal agencies, The weirdest items passengers leave behind in Ubers, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo found dead at 46, Arkansas woman indicted for selling stolen body parts to Pennsylvania man, DNA solves "decades-old mystery" after woman's remains found in 1995, $3 million fentanyl shipment to Maine restaurant prompts arrest. Strange, who told Campos she was feeling "terrible," died from water intoxication. Woman dies after water-drinking contest - NBC News He is currently a metro columnist, appearing on Tuesdays, Thursdays andSaturdays. It seemed a great wheeze at the time - a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" . In fact, Carrington's case came up on Friday. They tried to drink as much water as they could without urinating in a bid to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console. The FCC stipulated that use of the frequency must retain its short-spaced protections to KSAN (107.7 FM) in San Mateo, California; any new station would be limited to 50kW ERP and an average height above average terrain of 123 meters in the direction of KSAN. ", "Your body is 98 percent water," one of the hosts remarked to his on-air audience. And another jumped in to wisecrack that everyone in the contest had signed releases, "so we're not responsible.". 3 DJs fired after deadly water-drinking contest - NBC News He co-wrote Splash Hit, about building the Giants waterfrontstadium, with Joan Walsh. Strange, 28, was one of about 18 contestants who tried to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console by seeing how much water they could drink without going to the bathroom. The prize was a Wii video game, worth $250, going to the person who drank most water without peeing. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? She had taken part in a contest to see who. The results of a preliminary . "Maybe we should have researched this before," the female disc jockey added. [35] At one point, a nurse contacted the station and informed the DJs that the contest could be dangerous and potentially fatal. Originally, the sheriff had said that because the contestants entered under their own free will, there might have been no crime. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. Did Bruce Lee Die from Drinking Too Much Water? | Snopes.com Midway through the contest, he said, the amount of water given to the participants was doubled. As the contestants dropped out, it became clear that some of them were having serious health problems. Jennifer Strange, 28, competed in Sacramento station KDND 107.9's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest to try to win Nintendo's console for her children. His latest book is Crouching Father, HiddenToddler: A Zen Guide for New Dads., A stupid radio stunt's tragic finale / Sacramento DJs joked as contestant guzzled fatal quantity of water, In this undated photo provided by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Jennifer Strange, of Rancho Cordova, Calif., is shown. [14], After KXOA-FM was among several stations affected by the rapid rise of KZAP (98.5 FM) at the start of the 1980s,[15] the station pivoted to a soft adult contemporary format using the K108 moniker, remaining successful throughout the decade and leading the market in ratings and revenue in the mid-1980s. Water intoxication causes an electrolyte imbalance that affects concentrations of the ion sodium, and it leads to a condition called hyponatremia. None of the contestants had any idea what they had gotten themselves into. Drinking fluids made to replace electrolytes can help prevent intoxication. Strange had showed fellow contestants photographs of her two sons and daughter, for whom she was hoping to win the Nintendo Wii. Both stations were then sold to Producers, Inc., of Milwaukee for $500,000 in 1963. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Julia Layton The survivors of a woman who died almost three years ago after her participation in radio. By early 1975, the station had shifted to a soft AOR format, which would be successful throughout the remaining half of the 1970s. In a statement, Entercom called Strange's death "a tragedy" and said it respected the jury's decision. [47] Subsequently, both DJs settled with Entercom for an undisclosed amount. Woman Dies After Holding Wee for Wii Radio Contest [62] As the station's final program, a farewell special aired at 11:30p.m. on the 7th, hosted by former afternoon DJ Chris K, playing music from the End's 18-year history. Well, here's another good one. "We were so out of it, so disoriented. The radio station, he said, "had the information months in advance that this could cause harm.". Tim Curran said Wednesday that the department feels that it has enough information to begin an investigation. TIL a woman died of water intoxication after entering a "Hold Your Wee During the contest, she could be heard complaining about pain to disc jockeys at 107.9 "The End. Jan. 16, 2007. http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/212558 ,3_1_EL16_A7WATER_S1.article, Miner, Josh. The Sacramento Media Group and the Media Action Center will file legal challenges with the US Federal Communications Commission before the Nov. 1 deadline to contest the stations pending eight-year broadcast license renewal. It was, in short, typical dumbbell morning radio, featuring the kind of stupid stunts and heckling that have raised ratings on stations across the nation. Meanwhile, the lawsuits are likely to stretch from here to the top of the Sierra. If it's caught early, treatment with IV fluids containing electrolytes can lead to a complete recovery; but untreated, hyponatremia is fatal. BBC NEWS | Americas | Payout over water-drinking death KDND - Wikipedia 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. After the contest, Strange called in sick to work. Strange was found dead Friday, January 12, 2007, hours after the contest. Are those guys zany and irreverent or what? During the contest, participants were given two minutes to drink an 8-ounce bottle of water and then given another bottle to drink after a 10-minute break. The family of a California woman who died trying to win a Wii in a radio contest has been awarded $16.5 million in its suit against the station, according to the Associated Press. "Not with water," a male disc jockey replied. [45] The Stranges urged the FCC to shut down the station and punish Entercom. "Your body is 98 percent water. The result is that cells desperately try to increase the sodium concentration in body fluids by taking in tremendous amounts of water. I felt like I was drunk. Wii radio contest fatality results in $16.5 million verdict A 28-year-old participant in the contest died of water intoxication, resulting in Entercom being sued for wrongful death by the participant's family. Symptoms of water intoxication actually look a lot like the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, including nausea, altered mental state, and vomiting. At its most basic, water intoxication occurs when a person drinks so much water that the other nutrients in the body become diluted to the point that they can no longer do their jobs. We are awaiting information that will help explain how this tragic event occurred, he said. The contestant able to hold the most water would win a Wii video game console; at the time, the Nintendo console was a very popular and sought-after item, but was nearly impossible to find in stores in North America. Radio's Deadly Stunts - The Jennifer Strange Story On January 24, the FCC announced that it would investigate KDND to see if it violated the terms of its license. [16] The KXOA stations also had a regionally recognized news team led by Ken Hunt. CNN.com. Solved Case Study #1: Cell Biology Fall 2019 Part 1 - Chegg 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Initially, Jennifer seemed to be having fun, joking lightheartedly with the radio hosts and obligingly downing an 8-ounce bottle of water every 15 minutes. The London Free Press. And if you found their antics mean and offensive, maybe you just weren't cool enough to get the joke. No family members were present at a news conference this week calling for the rejection of the stations licence renewal. [36] The DJs responded by saying, "We're aware of that" and said that the contestants had signed releases and couldn't file a lawsuit. To listen to conversations between the DJs and Jennifer Strange. . " said Elidia Campos, one of 20 contestants. her family is suing the company that owns the. We will respond to any petition filed with the FCC at the appropriate time.. "She acted based upon the information she had," Dreyer said, calling the ruling "vindication for Jennifer." According to a contestant, the waivers addressed only publicity issues and made no mention of health or safety concerns. Why can't you take in as much water as you want?". Ten employees were fired following the incident. Solved CHALLENGE #5: HOLD YOUR WEE FOR A WII A California - Chegg "We totally had a moment together," says Campos, 33. DOC Case Study - Los Angeles Mission College ", Juror Tammy Elliott focused on the cautionary phone calls. Texas man who lost wife and son in shooting shares story Among the fired employees were three morning disc jockeys. Hardly. Meanwhile, Lukas, Maney and Trish, hosts of "The Morning Rave," released a statement. The whole premise is in the title: Hold Your Wee for a Wii. Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old mother of three, was among 18 people who entered the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" competition. If the injury caused by the employee is simply one of the risks of the business, the employer will have to bear the responsibility. [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. On July 11, 2019, Alex shot and killed Lori's fourth husband, Charles Vallow. [28][29] In January 1999, the KXOA call letters, as well as the Arrow format and branding, were recycled by the former KRAK-FM at 93.7MHz, replacing an ailing classic country station. "It was a preventable thing," Billy Strange told "Good Morning America" today of his wife's 2007 death from water toxicity. "At this time," it said, "we would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of Jennifer Strange. Jennifer Strange, 28, a mother of three, died from suspected water intoxication after coming second. reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Strange, a mother of three, took part in the contest hoping to win the system for her children, according to reports. [60], KDND's format and The End branding were re-located to sister station KUDL at 9:00a.m. on February 6 (the last song before the move was "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara). Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old from Northern California, died in 2007 after participating in a radio station's contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii," in which contestants drank large. [48] On September 14, jury selection in the wrongful death case began at the Sacramento County Superior Court's main courthouse in the city of Sacramento. Initially, Jennifer seemed to be having fun, joking lightheartedly with the radio hosts and obligingly downing an 8-ounce bottle of water every 15 minutes. Several years ago, when Nintendo first released the Wii gaming system a radio station had a promotion titled "Hold Your Wee for a Wii." Contestants periodically drank water to see who could refrain from urinating the longestthe winner would win a Wii gaming system. The "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" event drew participants who wanted to win a Wii video game console. Strange had showed fellow. Become a home entertainment expert with our handpicked tips, reviews and deals. The same day, the station announced that it had fired 10 staff members, including the five hosts of the "Morning Rave," which was canceled. On Thursday, Sacramento County jurors found Entercom Sacramento LLC, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp., liable for the actions of its employees at Sacramento radio station KDND-FM. [3], In 1961, Cal-Val experimented with splitting the AM and FM stations, changing the FM to a country format as KCNW. They were heckling her. Click here to return to the "Good Morning America" Web site. And, as the name implies, the players could not use the restroom. display: none; "Woman dies from water intoxication." A preliminary autopsy indicated that Jennifer Strange died from water intoxication. Other symptoms include headaches, muscle weakness and convulsions. NEW YORK (CBS/AP) The family of Jennifer Strange, a California woman who died after participating in a radio station's water-drinking contest, has been awarded $16.5 million by a California jury. [55] In October 2016, the FCC designated Entercom's license renewal for KDND for hearing, disputing whether the station had operated in the public interest over its previous license term, spanning from 2005 to 2013. http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm, "Hyponatremia." Peeing contest 'Hold your wee for a Wii' killed woman; now radio (AP Photo/California Department of Motor Vehicles via the Sacramento Bee) ** ** UNDATED PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, Elidia Campos, shown with her son, Israel, sat next to Jennifer Strange during the water-drinking contest on Sacramento radio station KDND. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The station fired 10 employees after the death. JANUARY 25--The family of the California woman who died from water intoxication after trying to win a video game console in a radio . The condition is quite rare in the general population, but in distance athletics, it's a known risk and is often avoided by drinking sports drinks instead of water during training and events. Strange 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.