Jennifer Mee, "Hiccup Girl:" From Medical Mystery to Murder Charge

(CBS/AP) The Florida teen who made headlines three years ago for having uncontrollable hiccups is back in the news - but not for hiccups.

Jennifer Mee, now 19, of St. Petersburg, Fla., is charged with first-degree murder in connection with a fatal shooting.

Police said Mee admitted involvement in the case, in which she allegedly lured a 22-year-old man to a home, where two male accomplices allegedly robbed and shot him.

Mee gained notoriety in 2007 - even appearing on the Today Show - after spending months hiccupping up to 50 times a minute.

Hiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Each contraction is followed by the contraction of the vocal cords, resulting in the characteristic "hic" sound.

Hiccups can arise after eating a large meal or drinking alcohol, although they can also be evidence of an underlying medical condition. Most cases last only a few minutes, though roughly one in 100,000 people continue to hiccup for months, according to the site.

Police say Mee no longer has the condition, which she said in 2007 was painful and embarrassing.

At the time, Mee consulted with medical specialists, a hypnotherapist, and an acupuncturist. None of it worked. She also tried home remedies, but they didn't work either. The condition eventually went away on its own.

But Mee's recent troubles seem unlikely to go away any time soon. She is being held without bond.