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Family suing Wii-contest radio station

The relatives of a Californian woman who died after taking part in a water-drinking competition will be filing a lawsuit.

In another twist to the tragic tale, attorney Roger Dreyer will be representing the family of Jennifer Strange, a mother of three who died after taking part in a KDND 107.9 competition titled "Hold Your Wee for a Wii," reports The Sacramento Bee. Dreyer told reporters that the disc jockeys and radio employees that were responsible for the competition would be named in the suit and that Nintendo may also be named if it is found that the company had any role in the promotion.

Strange drank an estimated two gallons of water during the contest, which had the 20 people taking part drinking as much as possible without using the bathroom. The first prize was a Nintendo Wii console, which Strange had been trying to win for her children. However, after the show, the 28-year-old called in sick to work, saying her head hurt "really bad," and she was later found dead in her suburban home.

The coroner's initial report found that her death appeared to be consistent with water intoxication. Drinking excess amounts of water causes the problem of too little sodium in the body (hyponatremia) and can cause swelling of the brain, vomiting, headaches, seizures, coma, and, in extreme cases, death.

Ten employees of the radio show have already been fired, and after listening to audio tapes of the show--in which DJs disregarded a caller warning of the danger involved and dismissed the death of student Matthew Carrington of water intoxication in a fraternity hazing ritual in 2005--Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness opened a criminal investigation into the woman's death.

Dreyer told reporters, "Everything that we've found in our research indicates that they just didn't pay attention to...the potential consequence of this contest."

196 Comments

  • neo16161616

    Posted Apr 1, 2007 9:41 am GMT

    I thought water was supposed to save you...

  • Triton

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 3:19 pm GMT

    I'm confused. Did the radio station not allow them to quit and walk away anytime they wanted to??? Sounds to me like GREED killed this woman. Common sense says your body will tell you when enough is enough, like maybe after the 1st gallon. This is just a stupid way to die. However maybe also sue the people who bottled the water, the maker of the Auto that took her to this event, the manufacture of the radio that she heard of this event on and possibly her parents and the school system that she went to school at( if she did) for not teaching her COMMON SENSE!!! Everyone is as fault but me...God I love this country. I'm sure if she had to sign a waiver it still would not be her fault.

  • XCghtintheryeX

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 1:56 pm GMT

    This will be the last time I post here, because it really doesn't matter. Those of you freaking morons that keep posting the most unintelligent and inhumane comments will never understand so go back to jerking off and getting fat. Just because you put down someone doesn't mean you'll stop being fat, ugly, lonely, friendless, losers. So go F*** yourselves you pathetic wastes of human flesh.

  • airgrapht

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 12:56 pm GMT

    "To maverick82102, and any other stupid and asinine idiots that find the death of a woman who was trying to do something nice, even if naive, for her chlidren: I hope you fall down dead suddenly and see how your family likes it. You people really are the ignorant locusts that plague the world today. You effing LOSERS don't know anything bout the meaning or how precious life is. And why would you? It's more than likely that you spend your free-(all your time) stuck in fantasy playing videogames where a potion or restart brings you back to life, well that and playing with your ding-a-ling I'm sure. I mean seriously what's wrong with you people? It's a sad day when someone who didn't deserve death gets it, and you scum get another day of breathing and infesting this earth! If I walked a mile in your shoes I'd just end my life. Because you know what you all are the ones that deserve be six feet under!"

    ^ Seconded, for 100% truth.

    My mom is a parent of three and to hear about someone similiar dying because she tried to make her kids happy - because of some idiot lowlife dickheads with no apparent regard for human life - makes me feel sick. Almost as much as the people posting comments that it was the mom's fault. Which it wasn't.

    And hell, even if it somehow was, does that mean she deserved to DIE? Because of some damn mistake? Hell no. It only takes common sense to figure that out. And the littlest amount of morality to sympathize or at least stop yourself from posting childish, disgusting comments that no one wants to hear. Whats ironic is that you people posting about it being the mom's fault are the ones trying to preach about using common sense. Take your own damn advice, hypocrites.

    Anyway, I feel sorry for the mom and her family and children...I can't even imagine how they must feel.

  • Slayer420

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 11:15 am GMT

    Yes.. because suing for money is going to make this situation better for the family. Our society sucks and nobody is willing to take responsibility for their own actions.

  • Cloud737

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 10:39 am GMT

    They had it coming...and I`m really glad they are getting sued.
    They should have researched this before making this contest, but of course humans have to be ignorant. Now they have to pay for that ignorance.

  • bminns

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 10:23 am GMT

    the employees of the radio station are complete idiots, i hope they go to jail for a long time. seriously a nurse called in and warned them of the dangers and the dummies ignored her anyways. they deserve waht they get (hopefully they get jail time)

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 9:22 am GMT

    "Everything that we've found in our research indicates that they just didn't pay attention to...the potential consequence of this contest."

    I totally agree with that.

  • headymo

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 9:12 am GMT

    I hope the radio station gave her kids a wii anyway. I also hope they get a good settlement for their mother's death.

  • Jaeme

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 7:06 am GMT

    This is one of those rare occasions where a lawsuit is warranted. Too often people are suing because of their own incompetence or stupidity(the wii strap suits for example). This is a case where a company(the radio station) knew they were putting people in danger and were warned of it many times from many sources yet chose not only to continue but joked about the risks to the lives of the people in their care (the moment the people entered the contest they were in the care of the radio station, that`s why they had waivers to sign in the first place). If they had said "Oops, we hadn`t thought of that, quick stop the contest" when the person called in and told them, on air, that there were grave dangers involved they could have made a claim to not being responsible even if the woman died, but jokes were more important I guess.

    I wonder what job the DJs who were fired will get now. Radio is out obviously because it`s clear they aren`t smart enough to cover their own butts let alone those of their employers. Fast food perhaps? "Want too many fries with that?" Maybe spokesperson for the newly relaunched Ford Pinto?

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 7:05 am GMT

    Stupid DJs deserve it.

  • Jebril

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 6:35 am GMT

    This was on the O'Riely factor, he didn't call it a Wii though he called it a toy.

  • shizwill03

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 4:42 am GMT

    Not really a suprise. Hopefully Nintendo did not play a role. That would be image tarring.

  • wenbin09

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 4:36 am GMT

    it's really a stupid contest!!

  • barkera0

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 2:36 am GMT

    mayrixman, you are a sick man for laughing about something like this. I is anything, but funny.

  • matrixman2k

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 2:29 am GMT

    ha ha ha....

    This stupid situation just made my day - can't stop myself form laughter.

  • Dolacide

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 1:18 am GMT

    Wow this wasn't a surprise.

  • ketsuatama

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 12:47 am GMT

    Lawsuits in the US, inevitable as mould on bread.

  • 9344891

    Posted Jan 23, 2007 12:34 am GMT

    Why do Americans sue every one. Look the radio station did not force the women to do anything. The contest was irresponsible but so was she for not knowing when to stop.Also if they want money for the family the women should have life insurance to cover the cost of them growing up.

  • 2TrickedOut

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 10:44 pm GMT

    StillWingless- Your right it is Ironic that her last name is strange. The first time I read about the incident I thought it was a fake article because of the lastname. They should have checked into health issues before making the contest and even though they had a disclaimer they were warned but were too ignorant about it. They should get sued! Did anyone end up getting the wii?

  • Outlawlaw

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 10:40 pm GMT

    Bathyj Profit from tragedy, That's the American Way.

    I guess defending crooks is your way.

    As Alex said on the hot spot last week, it's hard to believe that people are trying to justify the DJ's actions. Reading it makes it much worse.

    Why should a single mother's children sue a radio station that killed their only bread winner? I can't imagine.

    Hey lets do the same to your parents and leave you with no provider, at the age of 2! YES!

    Who's the greedy person that only sees this lawsuit as a grab for money, and not for the benefit of her kids?

    Don't be naive.

  • Bathyj

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 10:10 pm GMT

    Profit from tragedy, That's the American Way.

    You say the Dj's were warned and ignored it part way through. Weren't the contestants warned and ignored it too? Isn't your body hurting you a warning you're doing something bad to it? Doesn't commonsense tell you 2 gallons of water is too much to pump into a bladder about the size of an orange. Didn't a woman collapse parts way through and still they continued? I'm sorry for her kids, but her own greed brought this on. She chose to participate and ignored all the warning signs. Hands up who would care if I went and played in traffic, knowing full well it was a stupid idea and got hit by a car. No one would give a crap, you'd all say I got what I deserved and I was incredible stupid. And you'd be right. At least I had an excuse, I was 2 years old.

  • StillWingless

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 10:08 pm GMT

    Wow, amazing. It changes everything to hear that the radio guys knew about it. If they had just been ignorant, it might have been let go... but this makes it different.

    And it's nice to know how much she drank. A gallon is a lot, but... wow. Two? I can't even comprehend that.


    ...and does anyone else find it ironic that her last name is "Strange"?

  • Daffy101

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 9:03 pm GMT

    GEN_Metal, I agree. You are one of the few people who actually make sense on this topic.

  • Vraeth

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 9:00 pm GMT

    Meh, I'm usually against sueing, but if you listen to the clips during the contest and the people calling them in and telling them how dangerous it is, you'd see that the station is somewhat at fault. Then to hear the DJs make fun of people about it and stuff sort of added to that opinion.

  • robfield

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 8:01 pm GMT

    All they are gonna do is offer them money. But after hearing that the DJs were told of the dangers and examples, then I guess the liability waiver doesnt matter anymore.

  • mikethemonkey

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 7:28 pm GMT

    The contest was "hold your wee" Not "drink till you die!"
    It will settle out of court and will be all over.

  • Achilles438

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 7:19 pm GMT

    the family will lose, however i love rooting for the underdogs in any fight, so i will hope they beat the odds because they do deserve some kind of compensation. But this will probably be settled out of court and dismissed before it even reaches trial.

  • FoamingPanda

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 7:12 pm GMT

    A woman was so stupid that she drinked too much water and died. People should not lose their jobs and suffer lawsuits because a woman acted stupidly and natural selection took its course. If she felt that she drank to much water, she should have stopped. Now people lose their lives because of her ignorance.

  • Thakingk05

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 7:12 pm GMT

    well she sign a wavier. She knew what could happen. But Its sad. I have to say the family will lose because she signed the wavier. They didnt force her to drink that much water. She did it on her own.

  • TryMe01

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 6:56 pm GMT

    they should be able to win this easily, case closed

  • LoWpS

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 6:25 pm GMT

    maverick82102 i honestly cant comprehend how u continue to make snyde and insulting remarks about a family whose mother just died. Are you talking about another family, or are u just so disensitized that you dont feel a drop of sadness upon hearing about a mothers tragic death trying to get something for her children? i have no respect for you whatsoever. go play a gory game or something, that must be all you do. F'ing disgusting

  • zintarr

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 6:24 pm GMT

    The one thing that I really want to know is how the hell this contest EVER made it through the stations LEGAL department?! I mean the moment a lawyer for a company smells anything that says liability they pull the plug. So WTF happend KDND?

  • MeteorNess

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 5:41 pm GMT

    See? Video Games do kill people... and water too. I feel sorry for those kids, they must be traumatized and will certainly never play video game again;

  • 4quarters

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 5:23 pm GMT

    Is that a new mini game in warioware?

  • Uchiha_madara

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 5:19 pm GMT

    strange is a strange name. Well RIP, I dont wunt to feel like wut their childs feeling like.. I feel real bad for them.

  • pompomboy

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 5:14 pm GMT

    r.i.p

  • Go0pynose

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:47 pm GMT

    2 gallons of water? Holy sh!t R.I.P Strange.

  • mk_2

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:39 pm GMT

    They sue, finally...

  • TRH4469

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:37 pm GMT

    I heard the audio from the radio show as well. The DJs were well aware of the risks that the contestants were taking and didn't seem to take them too seriously. They deserve to be sued and I hope they are fired as well.

  • sniper_99

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:24 pm GMT

    good the radio people that hosted this show should get sued

  • Omega3210

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:10 pm GMT

    what an awful contest...
    these radio guyz seems to know nothin!

  • Maverick82102

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 4:06 pm GMT

    This family is freaking stupid. They just need to get some jobs.

  • gamelord7

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 3:57 pm GMT

    I sure hope the radio people didn't host this competition because of the name Wii...*Thinks* Wii = Wee Naw, couldn't have Nintendo's fault right?

  • CheddarLimbo

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 3:39 pm GMT

    I heard the audio of this show from another radio program reporting on the story. It's pretty condemning stuff. The DJ said in response to a nurse's warnings "We're aware of the danger, but they all signed releases, so we're not responsible", and then they started laughing.

    Another DJ - in an AMAZING act of stupidity and ignorance - said "Your body is, like, 98% water. How could you be hurt from drinking more water?".

    These guys were clearly negligent and uninformed about the danger they put the contestants in. I think the woman is somewhat responsible for entering the contest, but ti doesn't sound like they were warned properly about the danger of the contest.

  • blue-fish

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 3:28 pm GMT

    That's awful... No one should lose a mother this way, through such a kind act too...

  • crusty_rim

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 3:21 pm GMT

    i dont think its right that the staff got fired, after all the main responsability and blame is on the station not the staff, there just scape goats, the station had to sign off on this, and they obv did not do their research, i understand y the dj's who laughed and joked about it on air were fired, that was just plain wrong, but who were the other staff

  • Haseokicksass

    Posted Jan 22, 2007 3:07 pm GMT

    stiker71 TO little to late,its the ladys own stupid falt...... How is it her fault?A Radio station has a prize for a wii, she wants one for her kids. Did they say that drinking so much water coudl kill her? Do you think she would have if she knew she could die?

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