Water-drinking Stunt Proves Fatal

The family of a woman who died after drinking too much water in a radio contest is to sue the station behind the stunt.

Jennifer Strange, 28, died last Friday after taking part in a competition to win a Nintendo Wii console on Sacramento's KDND-FM.

In the contest, "Hold your wee for a Wii", about 18 contestants tried to drink as much water as they could without going to the toilet.

After several hours, Strange finished second in the contest, winning tickets to a Justin Timberlake concert. But by then she was already feeling ill from the effects of drinking too much water. Her stomach had swollen and she was complaining of headaches.

Strange was found dead at her home several hours later. A coroner's report said that her death was consistent with water intoxication. Police are also investigating the death.

In a tape of the contest, which was held on the station's Morning Rave show, Strange is heard saying her head hurts. "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.

At the end of the contest, Strange said that she looked pregnant.

"Oh, my gosh, look at that belly," a DJ noted. "Come on over, Jennifer. You OK? You going to pass out right now? Too much water?"

A lawyer for Strange's family alleged that the station was aware of the risks. "The station knew this was a dangerous and potentially deadly stunt but flippantly dismissed the dangers," Roger Dreyer said in a statement.

During the show a nurse called in to say that drinking too much water could be fatal. "Yeah, we're aware of that," a DJ replied. Another DJ added: "Yeah, they signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

The station has fired 10 people associated with the show, including the DJs. The Morning Rave show has been cancelled.