SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 17, 2007

Ten Fired After Radio Contest Tragedy

Woman Died Despite Listener Warning On Danger Of Chugging Too Much Water

  • Play CBS Video Video Water Intoxication Death

    A Sacramento radio station cancelled a popular radio show after a woman died from drinking too much water during a contest to win a Nintendo Wii. Manuel Gallegus reports.

  • Video Deadly Radio Stunt

    Jennifer Strange died after competing for a Nintendo Wii during a water drinking contest, Hold Your Wee For A Wii, sponsored by a California radio station. KOVR's Steve Large reports.

  • Photo

     (iStockphoto)

(CBS/AP)  A Sacramento area radio station fired 10 employees Tuesday, including three morning disc jockeys, in reaction to a tragedy in which a woman died Friday after an on-air water-drinking contest at the station's studios.

The hosts of the KDND-FM "Morning Rave" show - who go by the on-air names Trish, Maney and Lukas - were fired a day after the station suspended the show and said it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, died after participating in a water-drinking contest on the hit music radio station, which calls itself – playing on the sound of its call letters – The End.

CBS News station KOVR-TV reports that during the contest, a listener - self-identified as a nurse - called the live radio broadcast and warned that the game was dangerous.

"I want to say that those people drinking all that water can get sick and die from water intoxication," said the caller.

"Yeah, we're aware of that," replied a DJ, according to the broadcast news report. "They signed releases so we're not responsible, okay?"

Donnie Logsdon – one of the 18 contestants trying to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console by drinking the most water without going to the bathroom – tells KOVR-TV news that they didn't hear that on-air warning in the room where he and the others were filling up way beyond comfort.

"Maybe she would have walked away," says Logsdon. "But we didn't hear that inside there."

Strange was second to last to stop drinking, and when she bowed out, she did say on the air that she was not feeling well.

"My head hurts. They keep telling me that it's the water...that it will
tell my head to hurt and it'll make me puke." Strange told the DJ, live on the air, before leaving the station. "Who told you that, the intern?" was the DJ's response, according to the KOVR-TV news report on the radio show.

John Geary, vice president and general manager of KDND parent company, Entercom/Sacramento, announced the firings Tuesday in an e-mail to reporters: "Effective immediately, the 'Morning Rave' program is canceled and ten employees are no longer with the station."

A company spokesman, Charles Sipkins, confirmed that the three DJs, as well as two other on-air personalities, "Carter" and "Fester," are among those fired. Five other employees who worked on the "Morning Rave" also were let go. All 10 were fired, the spokesman said, for violating terms of their employee agreements.

The "Morning Rave" had been on the air for about five years and was one of Sacramento's top-rated morning radio shows.

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 contest was called "Hold your Wee for a Wii."

Contestant James Ybarra said he quit drinking after imbibing eight bottles, but Strange, who placed second, and other would-be winners kept going even after they were handed even larger containers.

In all, according to witness reports, Strange may have drunk nearly two gallons. Afterward, she appeared ill when she went on the air, one contestant said.

After the contest, Strange called in sick to work, crying and saying she was heading home in terrible pain. About five hours later, Strange – who had three children - was found dead by her mother at her home in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova.

According to the Sacramento County coroner, preliminary autopsy findings indicate she died of water intoxication.

Drinking large quantities of water rapidly can throw off the body's balance of electrolytes, causing brain swelling and leading to seizures, coma, or even death.

In February 2005, a Chico State University student died after drinking too much water in a hazing incident at a fraternity. Matthew Carrington was forced to repeatedly drink from a 5-gallon jug and then do calisthenics.

In that case, one fraternity member pleaded guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and two others pleaded guilty to being accessories to manslaughter, among other charges.

Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, which would have jurisdiction over the KDND incident, said officers are not investigating Strange's death.

"It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion. On its face, it appears it was all done voluntarily, and no criminal activity was involved," Curran said.

In the studio, Ybarra said Strange showed fellow contestants photographs of her two sons and daughter, for whom she was hoping to win the Nintendo Wii. The game console retails for about $250.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 88 Comments
by swiftyj1 January 17, 2007 7:11 AM PST
Sad. Very sad.
Reply to this comment
by sneaki January 17, 2007 7:14 AM PST
I am very sorry for the young lady and her family but disagree with the firing those 10 people.Whatas far as I can see was an accident ,that could have been avoided if she had researched the dangers of drinking large quantities of water. they have ruined 10 peoples careers that have obviously before this incident have made them a lot of money and good ratings for at least 5 years and now have hung them out to dry because a 28 year old woman drank too much water and should have gone to the emergency room when she got that sick. I am not scaling down the terrible tragedy that this is but it is not their fault it was an accident. A disclaimer was signed and they are not responsible for this womans death. I know they feel responsible bu they are not. GIVE THEM THEIR JOBS BACK.
Reply to this comment
by dgret January 17, 2007 7:32 AM PST
"they ruined 10 peoples careers"? Seriously, how about the children that lost a mother in a stupid radio promotion? How about the fact that the radio personnel ignored a warning from a nurse and failed to warn the contestants? How about the radio personnel failing to provide medical attention to the contestant who said she didn't feel well? GIVE THE KIDS THEIR MOTHER BACK FIRST!
Reply to this comment
by knyghtwolf January 17, 2007 7:38 AM PST
Hmmm, sounds like yet another MTV loser reality show in the making here. Better yet, add another channel, right between the Golf channel & MSNBC, call it the Stupid Game Show/Suicide Channel and air stupid people perpetuating stupid games for the agony and misery for laughs & chuckles.
Reply to this comment
by erica1029 January 17, 2007 7:40 AM PST
This is just a tragic story all the way around. As a mother myself, I know the lengths you will go and the risks you will take for your children's happiness. Perhaps Strange was unaware of the risks associated with water intoxication. As a society we are encouraged to drink lots of water, it is advertised as being very healthy. As for the employees of the radio station I am sure they wish they could turn back time. I hope to see radio stations learn from this tragedy and fully research contests. Participants should be informed of all possible side effects of any competition, both verbally and in writing. People do things every day that risk our lives. You get into an automobile, you are taking a risk. You take new medications, you are taking a risk. My heart goes out to Strange's family and to the employees who must feel horrible. As for zohxion's comment above, this is not a laughing matter and thank GOD it was not posted on youtube. You are a sick individual who desires to see a woman dying trying to make her children happy.
Reply to this comment
by sarahpeabody January 17, 2007 7:40 AM PST
The people who conducted this contest should have been the ones responsible to make sure this contest would not cause bodily harm. There was no common sense used on their behalf in this situation.

HOWEVER, the people who participated were also responsible to check for bodily harm with ingesting too much water.

Very sad indeed.

I disagree with the person who thinks these people should not have lost their jobs. They introduced stupidity which caused the loss of life. They could have come up with a safer contest than this. They allowed this contest to continue on AFTER being warned that this was dangerous. They should be held liable in that form. This is not to say the people participating shouldn't be held accountable.

Just stupidity all the way around, all for a console priced at around $250/300?
Reply to this comment
by brobrettz January 17, 2007 7:41 AM PST
I rejoice to see that the idiotic morons who orchestrated this tragedy for the sake of ratings and personal profit have lost their jobs. I am still hoping that a civil suit could be brought against the radio station owners but that does not look likely. This radio station should make a cash payment to the children of the deceased woman as a gesture of humanity. But being who and what these people are I doubt that too.
It seems our society is filled with amoral self-serving people whose only goal in life is to advance their own careers and bank accounts at the expense of other people.
I am afraid that the almighty dollar is the only God many of us acknowledge.
Reply to this comment
by nowayimpc January 17, 2007 7:46 AM PST
Did the DJ's create this contest? Was their idea approved by management? Does the owner of the station take part in the 'day to day'?

If all the above is true, perhaps a few more people should share the burden of responsibility.

Stupid incident? Absolutely. Someone on the station's staff probably should've researched the safety of the contest before launching it.

The deceased signed a waiver without truly understanding the danger. After all, who would think drinking water could kill you? Clearly not this mother of three. Obviously, not the radio station.

This was an avoidable (and tragic) accident.
Reply to this comment
by adian1-2009 January 17, 2007 7:50 AM PST
Firing those guys, which is not less than plausible, is not enough. The owners of the radio station are equally responsible, this is to mean, liable as those three fired guys. I would like to examine the release signed by these contestants. Unless they were completely informed, advising them about the posible consequences in clear and plain language, so that theirs would be an completely informed consent, the station is liable. I bet they did not informe completely and rightly.
Reply to this comment
by themooniac January 17, 2007 7:53 AM PST
Someone should file suit in a very big way for the sake of the children. I doubt a release without alerting the contestants to the dangers will stick. Besides isn't a radio station license granted by the FCC under the condition that it operates in a responsible manner for the public good?? Anyone that can help me out on that question??? I say sue their a$$ off.
Reply to this comment
by dovestar January 17, 2007 7:54 AM PST
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10

And there are those who say the Bible doesn't know what it's talking about and it's way too dangerous to let our kids read it in a public school classroom. Well, fancy that.
Reply to this comment
by mahalalo-2009 January 17, 2007 8:01 AM PST
A loving caring mother has died due to a stupit contest. Even tho she was suppose to be a nurse and she signed a release and no criminal act has been commited, the firing of 10 people that paded the pockets well of many for 5 years should not have been fired.
Repremanded yes but not fired. The station should set up a fund for each child for their futures. Let this be a hard lesson learned for the shows that have these stupid, stupid contests. Do your homework people. Inform loudly what can happen and by all means have medical personnel available during the contests just in case.
Reply to this comment
by peggita62-2009 January 17, 2007 8:02 AM PST
I feel that the firings were the right thing to do and that they should have let all the people involved in the contest that drinking a lot of water was not good for them. Why were they not told this? Was it because the DJ's just didn't care about what could happen or did they forget to mention it just for ratings? You make up your own mind.
Reply to this comment
by oleander8 January 17, 2007 8:07 AM PST
Signing a release does not protect anyone from liability. It's a piece of paper - and will not protect anyone from a lawsuit. They may not win it, but they can sue.

When she signed this release I'm sure she had a reasonable expectation of coming out of it alive. The people holding the contest didn't do their homework, ignored warnings, and made light of her being ill. They are responsible.
Reply to this comment
by j_flood January 17, 2007 8:07 AM PST
I'm glad the staff were fired. Who approved the contest in the station management - what happened to the general manager? I'd bet they better get ready for a 'wrongful' death suit.

All for a laugh - sad, really sad.
Reply to this comment
by danielirving January 17, 2007 8:09 AM PST
"Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly." --Leviticus 25:44

Yeah - the Bible knows what it's talking about dovestar.

/sarcasm off
Reply to this comment
by oleander8 January 17, 2007 8:12 AM PST
"If someone told you to jump off a bridge and you get a Wii.... "
Posted by guilianelli at 08:06 AM : Jan 17, 2007

That would be assisted suicide, also against the law....(smile)
Reply to this comment
by guilianelli January 17, 2007 8:20 AM PST
apearantly there is a lot of uneducated people around that should drink 2 gallons of water. My point was that people should be educated about what you do. For those that don't understand !!!!
Reply to this comment
by feedback3-2009 January 17, 2007 8:20 AM PST
Dovestar, this not being the topic, I still must say that the Bible advises people to do all sorts of studpid things (and many wonderful things as well, of course). Don't try to force us to drink your gallons of water.
Reply to this comment
by dj0114 January 17, 2007 8:36 AM PST
I do not understand why most are blaming the radio station. Yes, they deserve a lot of the blame but ultimately this is about a mother so hell bent on pleasing her children she voluntarily enters a contest, does not check it out carefully an dies.

At the very least she should have checked to see if this was something safe to do.

My life is valuable and I would have checked.

I find it hard to believe the station manager did not sign off on this contest- where is the responsibility of management in this? Did anyone have a health professional check this out?

I would think the on-air talent (along with their producers) runs any contest by management. It appears to me that it is management's responsibility to make sure it is OK and sign off on it.

A lot of times it is management (along with the sales department) that come up with these contests.

It appears the on-air talent was fired because they dismissed the warnings of danger from one caller and didn't seem concerned about Ms. Strange when she complained about a severe headache.

Why no one in management has been fired is strange- unless this contest was done without approval. If that is the case, the general manager still should be let go because he/she could have stopped it.
Reply to this comment
by bluvelvet-2009 January 17, 2007 8:37 AM PST
any contest requiring the ingestion of substances should be first cleared by the medical community.. most people would regard water as safe to drink therefore, she would have had no reason to believe that she would be ill or die..the person who slammed this dead woman as being a moneygrubber ought to get a grip..let's move to eliminate these contests that require persons to do things that are demeaning and irrational..it would have been a lot better if an essay contest were the vehicle for acquiring prizes..a lot of people try to win things, but,the provider of any contest should not be using ingestion contests to distribute said prizes..also,remember that the community at large is indirectly responsible as the public seems to relish and delight in seeing other persons be made fools of so that the provider can boost ratings and make big bucks..the stations' license should be revoked for a period of time.. FCC where are you now??
Reply to this comment
by bobgee_1999 January 17, 2007 8:44 AM PST
Fire everybody you want and close down the radio station, it won't prevent evolution from culling the kind of morons that will participate in moronic activities---which includes, while we're at it, yuppie twits who die in the process of hazing. That's the beauty of reality; it is non-partisan and utterly unaffected by opinion.
Reply to this comment
by dubdub32 January 17, 2007 8:46 AM PST
Who's the dumbo that said that she was a nurse? The nurse is the one that called in to say that this was a dangerous deal...not the one in the contest
Reply to this comment
by bluvelvet-2009 January 17, 2007 8:57 AM PST
"I am very sorry for the young lady and her family but disagree with the firing those 10 people.Whatas far as I can see was an accident ,that could have been avoided if she had researched the dangers of drinking large quantities of water. they have ruined 10 peoples careers that have obviously before this incident have made them a lot of money and good ratings for at least 5 years and now have hung them out to dry because a 28 year old woman drank too much water and should have gone to the emergency room when she got that sick. I am not scaling down the terrible tragedy that this is but it is not their fault it was an accident. A disclaimer was signed and they are not responsible for this womans death. I know they feel responsible bu they are not. GIVE THEM THEIR JOBS BACK."
what?? ruined careers?? they were warned DURING the contest of it's danger.. they let it continue.. close the station..
Reply to this comment
by sesavjo January 17, 2007 9:01 AM PST
Lets stop and think about these gamebox makers who only make so many as a market strategy, and price them so *** high that single mothers and even reg. incomed family can't afford them!! When will we start make the makers responsible? Yes, I'm glad they fired them(radio personal) It is their responsibility as journalist( even of the radio) to do their homework!! It is also the responsibility of these game makers, when is enough enough!!!
Reply to this comment
by stupidpeopl3 January 17, 2007 9:04 AM PST
Natural Selection wins agian!!! The Wii sucks anyway. What a stupid death!
Reply to this comment
by legendary240 January 17, 2007 9:05 AM PST
First off, this was a "morning show" which has become a watering hole for the educably-challenged to find some comradery to start their day. They pander to people of either low intellect, morals and preferably people both of both conditions. What should we expect? These shock-jocks aren't in it for a Nobel Prize. They are in it to draw high-schoolers, drop-outs and the immature 30-somethings to the station to get them to hear ads for head shops, strip clubs and adult toy stores. This kind of behavior on their shows is required to keep the fizzling minds of their listnership engaged. Try listening to a CD of your favorite music on the way in and let these potty-mouthed DJs corrupt someone else.
Reply to this comment
by quagh-2009 January 17, 2007 9:06 AM PST
Managment should have been the ones to take the blame for this. Not the people that carried out the promotion that they signed off on to drum up ratings and advertising.
Reply to this comment
by sesavjo January 17, 2007 9:07 AM PST
By the way.... george2221..... you have some seriouse issues and are highly unintelligent, and iiliterate to post a comment such as you did,"You know what i think she got what she diserved" How very reckless of you!! Go to a counsler!!
Reply to this comment
by apdepetris January 17, 2007 9:10 AM PST
This is a very sad situation. I believe all partys are to blame. The station should have made sure that the contest was safe for all participants and had medical staff standing by to handle any emergencies. And the contestants are also to blame because they voluntarily participated in the contest. They probably assumed that the station wouldn't be holding the contest if it wasn't safe.

Another problem is that I don't think many people know about water intoxication and it's effects. I happened to read an article that said that this is a problem with marathon runners. They drink so much water that it throws off the balance of salt and electrolytes in the body. They are always stressing the importance of drinking plenty of water. Just goes to show you that too much of anything can kill you. Hopefully the result of this is that people running contests will thouroughly research them and participants will take responsibilty for themselves and research them as well and not rely on other people to verify that things are safe.
Reply to this comment
by webdepot January 17, 2007 9:11 AM PST
I really have to take exception with some of the heartless, ignorant posters here.
In the first place. The original article indicated she worked in a Radiological Associates office, without stating what her job was. Do you know what a Radiological office is??? That is where you go for freakin exrays. I've been to many, not one had a nurse. They have receptionists and xray techs, but not nurses- and the training for an xray tech is 1/500 the training for a nurse, So the supposition she "should have known" is full of cr@p.

I'm in my 60's and this is the first time I've heard of death by water intoxication. drowning, yes... but you die from lack of oxygen, not the water... binge boozing, yes... but you die of organ paralysis from the alcohol, not the water content.

The sponsors of this so called contest had the onus to fully investigate any and all possible consequences of their contest. they did not. so obviously, they could not issue an adequate warning to the contestants.

If the nurse that posted is correct and death is caused by an electrolyte imbalance causing brain swelling, then this station, if they had done their homework, could have substituted a power drink that contained electrolytes, such as gatoraide. the contest would not have been affected and the risks would have been greatly reduced.

People are responsible for their actions up to the point of common knowledge or sense. That does not include extraordinary knowledge such as water intoxication.
Reply to this comment
by dhyphenb January 17, 2007 9:14 AM PST
I am apalled at some of the comments I have read concerning this story. I would like to know what kind of person feels it is appropriate to heap such derision on a young woman who has died and left behind two motherless children. I find the comments concerning natural selection in very poor taste and lacking in judgement and intelligence. Everyday thousands, likely millions, do incredibly stupid things, most don't even consider that there is the possibility of death involved. I would be very surprised if those self-important commenters on their natural-selection high horse had never done anything dangerously careless and never thought for a second about the danger involved. It was, perhaps, not the brightest contest to participate in, but consider for one moment that many people have lost someone near and dear that they loved very much. Natural selection, indeed... know what else causes death? Lacking a brain and a heart.
Reply to this comment
by January 17, 2007 9:14 AM PST
The shocking death of a water drinking contest is raising a lot of questions.
1. Is the organizer fully released of any responsibility after the contestant signed a probably generic release form.
2. The cynical response of a DJ to a nurse warning of potentially fatal consequences sounds like a complete disregard for well-being of contestants as long as it makes it for a good rating. To me it was a criminal act.
3. The potential risks should have been fully researched by orginizers and clearly spelled out in the release form.
4. Why wasn't a a medical staff on stand by in case something went wrong.
5. Firing of 10 people associated with the show is not enough. The responsility also lies with station owners and managers.
6. When people will finally come to thier senses
and stop endangering themselves in those stupid reality shows and contests.
7. Will the radio station provide for 3 small children orphaned by their negligence.

Hopefully this "accident" will serve as a warning to organizers and participants alike. Ratings and money cannot be a driving force.
Reply to this comment
by libertydave January 17, 2007 9:15 AM PST
To sesavjo:

"Lets stop and think about these gamebox makers who only make so many as a market strategy, and price them so *** high that single mothers and even reg. incomed family can't afford them!! When will we start make the makers responsible? Yes, I'm glad they fired them(radio personal) It is their responsibility as journalist( even of the radio) to do their homework!! It is also the responsibility of these game makers, when is enough enough!!!"

Give me a friggin break! Blaming the game companies because they're not putting out enough games, or companies that put out products that some people can't afford, and now they're supposed to be responsible for other people's ridiculous mistakes?!? You're what's wrong with society today.
Reply to this comment
by forrestcupp-2009 January 17, 2007 9:23 AM PST
Anyone trashing this woman needs to get a heart. Just like bluvelvet said, most people think that water is safe to drink. If you can die from drinking water, what is safe to drink? Contrary to something bluvelvet said in another post, they were not warned about this. According to the article, the contestants did not hear the warning from the nurse who called in, and the staff made the decision to not inform the contestants of this warning. I think that if the disclaimers weren't signed, these people not only should lose their jobs, but they should be in prison.
Reply to this comment
by djnechodom January 17, 2007 9:35 AM PST
"If the nurse that posted is correct and death is caused by an electrolyte imbalance causing brain swelling, then this station, if they had done their homework, could have substituted a power drink that contained electrolytes, such as gatoraide. the contest would not have been affected and the risks would have been greatly reduced."

Good Lord don't do that! Gatorade (and the host of others of that ilk) are designed to be consumed in reasonable amounts. Find a substance designed specifically for moronic contests!

Also, sesavjo, don't call people unintelligent and iiliterate (sic) until after you've found a good spell checker.
Reply to this comment
by neimon-2009 January 17, 2007 9:36 AM PST
"It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion."

Just as dire economic circumstances are a form of coercion, promises made in a winner-take-all society bent on blaming every victim are too. Making people believe you are not harming them when in fact you are is as well.

This person had a reasonable belief that the contest wouldn't put her life at risk. The contest violated that social contract and coerced her by a promise of enrichment that she otherwise had no access to.

Ask ten people on the street about water intoxication and I'll bet ten of them don't know about it.

As for those "personal responsibility" folks, where is the "personal responsibility" from all the other actors?

This is horrible and senseless, but blaming the victim is really beyond the pale. I believe the radio station had no intent to harm, but they do bear responsibility. Firing those people is an excellent beginning.
Reply to this comment
by guilianelli January 17, 2007 9:37 AM PST
to dhyphenb

to say natural selection is not ignorant and a lack of intelligence. She made the decision to do what she did and faced the outcome. I fully expect to face the concequence for anything that I choose to do and do not try to blame the outcome on someone else. That is what everyone is doing. I do agree that the radio station is partly responsible however to think that higher managment is responsable is obserd. I guarentee that all the higher management had no idea even about the contest. Now people are going ti fire and ruin yet more carreers over something that someone had no knowlegde of. The problem is that people today are trying to deflect blame to everyone else but the person that actually could have easiestly prevented it. Instead of everyone takeing responsiblitiy for their own actions its always someone elses fault. Here she should have took 2 min and googled what she was doing and educated herself and the problem is solved. Instead people arre blaming everyone else for her actions. This is why I say natural selection. In my mind nobody forced water down her throat and she could have prevented everyhting very easily by EDUCATION. Everyone should start taking responsibility for their own actions instead of blaming others. Especially if you have kids because you are not just concerned with yourself more the reason to be educated about what you do.
Reply to this comment
by djnechodom January 17, 2007 9:37 AM PST
"If the nurse that posted is correct and death is caused by an electrolyte imbalance causing brain swelling, then this station, if they had done their homework, could have substituted a power drink that contained electrolytes, such as gatoraide. the contest would not have been affected and the risks would have been greatly reduced."

Good Lord don't do that! Gatorade (and the host of others of that ilk) are designed to be consumed in reasonable amounts. Find a substance designed specifically for moronic contests!

Also, sesavjo, don't call people unintelligent and iiliterate (sic) until after you've found a good spell checker.
Reply to this comment
by neimon-2009 January 17, 2007 9:39 AM PST
"It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion."

Just as dire economic circumstances are a form of coercion, promises made in a winner-take-all society bent on blaming every victim are too. Making people believe you are not harming them when in fact you are is as well.

This person had a reasonable belief that the contest wouldn't put her life at risk. The contest violated that social contract and coerced her by a promise of enrichment that she otherwise had no access to.

Ask ten people on the street about water intoxication and I'll bet ten of them don't know about it.

As for those "personal responsibility" folks, where is the "personal responsibility" from all the other actors?

This is horrible and senseless, but blaming the victim is really beyond the pale. I believe the radio station had no intent to harm, but they do bear responsibility. Firing those people is an excellent beginning.
Reply to this comment
by neimon-2009 January 17, 2007 9:40 AM PST
"It was a contest and people are saying there was no coercion."

Just as dire economic circumstances are a form of coercion, promises made in a winner-take-all society bent on blaming every victim are too. Making people believe you are not harming them when in fact you are is as well.

This person had a reasonable belief that the contest wouldn't put her life at risk. The contest violated that social contract and coerced her by a promise of enrichment that she otherwise had no access to.

Ask ten people on the street about water intoxication and I'll bet ten of them don't know about it.

As for those "personal responsibility" folks, where is the "personal responsibility" from all the other actors?

This is horrible and senseless, but blaming the victim is really beyond the pale. I believe the radio station had no intent to harm, but they do bear responsibility. Firing those people is an excellent beginning.
Reply to this comment
by moto-d January 17, 2007 9:43 AM PST
A ridiculous contest dreamed up by grating frat-boy radio personalities and participated in by people who don't have the imagination to stop and think what peril these "endurance" contests might put them in. I'm just amazed it doesn't happen more often.
Reply to this comment
by moto-d January 17, 2007 9:44 AM PST
A ridiculous contest dreamed up by grating frat-boy radio personalities and participated in by people who don't have the imagination to stop and think what peril these "endurance" contests might put them in. I'm just amazed it doesn't happen more often.
Reply to this comment
by byrd1beverly January 17, 2007 10:07 AM PST
Is it me or is everyone smart when it comes to college and dumb when it comes to common sense. It seems like everyone is losing thier minds these days. I just don't know anymore about how unconcerned people can be about each other. Sure she was an idiot for doing this but the station was a idiot for letting it happen in the first place. I listen to music on the radio but as far as liking someone hurting someone on purpose or letting them hurt themselves should be eliminated.
Reply to this comment
by jonw1115 January 17, 2007 10:11 AM PST
Sad! Everyone wants to point a finger at someone to blame, but what is done is done. She signed a waiver and took part on her own terms. She unfortunately died from something I think most people are really unaware of including myself. I think it would have made better sense to drink say 32 oz. of water and then monitor who could hold their bladders the longest. Once you reach a certain (reasonable) input there will be a good amount of pressure that will build to create urgency to go. This was obviously not a well thought out stunt and it is too bad she had to pay the ultimate price.
Reply to this comment
by britski-2009 January 17, 2007 10:22 AM PST
I just cannot believe what lengths people will go to for more sit-on-your-rear entertainment! What happened to parents shooing their kids outside to run around and play, and (gasp!) use their imaginations!? It seems to me that the root of the problem here is our nation's collective addiction to video games, TV, and the like. Sad. Why not take your kids to the park to play instead of standing in a room guzzling gallons of water to win a blinking plastic box?
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That being said, I do feel for the family of Ms. Strange. The loss of a family member is always a tragedy, regardless of the circumstances.
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by jellikal January 17, 2007 10:25 AM PST
The management of the radio station approved the contest. The radio station and its management are fully responsible for not informing the contestants of the possible risks of the contest. The management should have confirmed with their legal and insurance agents before any and all contests. For any contest with serious risks there should be medical personell onsite.
She should have never been allowed to leave the site without being checked out first as she was IMMEDIATELY showing symptoms of water intoxication.

I would like to see the management fired and not the radio actors who are doing their job to entertain and get more and more listeners for the station to increase their advertising dollar profits. The DJ's are not responsible for legal and insurance issues - they work the equipment and perform. The DJ's job is to keep the ratings up ( and thus the profist up) - the management's job is to handle administrative details.

It is a sad world we live in that a single mom can not earn a enough to get a $250 game system for her family. Can you imagine her children knowing their mom died trying to get them a Wii ? Perhaps people can learn there are more important things than material possessions. Probably not .. but one can always hope.

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by ladycascadia January 17, 2007 10:28 AM PST
While it is truly a shame about that woman dying like that, I do not feel that the radio station should have fired those people. The people in the contest made a personal choice, albeit a very foolish one.
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by djnechodom January 17, 2007 10:48 AM PST
"djnechodom, you know, you don't have to be a literary expert to post. Most get the point. Literary jerk-offs like yourself make posting "opinions" whether spelled correctly or not...just not fun (which it's supposed to be). You're an idot, idit, idiot without exception. Get the point?"

Apparently I don't so please clarify. It's supposed to be fun for you while I get called a '***' and an 'idiot without exception?'

And to clarify on my part, I'm not a literary expert either. I tell my HS students (who are math students, not literary) that bad writing communicates bad reasoning. I guess I'm from an old enough generation that I have trouble letting go of such conventions as correct spelling, grammar and syntax in arenas such as this. 'My bad!'
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by January 17, 2007 11:07 AM PST
I THINK THE FIRINGS WERE JUSTIFIED.SIGNING A WAVER DOESN'T PROTECT THE STATION FROM RESPONSIBILITY..I am sure the woman's family will be suing on behalf of the children who lost their mother...and I expect they will win or the station will settle out of court.
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