She was telling me about her family and her three kids and how she was doing it for kids.. The then-chief of enforcement for the FCC stated to the Sacramento Bee that the motive was financial and that Entercom would likely have fought had a merger not been planned. None of the contestants had any idea what they had gotten themselves into. The London Free Press. 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. Entercom stated that "it is in the company's best interests to voluntarily turn in the KDND license to facilitate the timely FCC approvals for the planned combination with CBS Radio". Why can't you take in as much water as you want?". It was not immediately know how much water Strange consumed. Criminal charges will probably be filed in the death of Carrington, a California State University student who died while undergoing hazing at a rogue fraternity, a police spokesman said Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005. IE 11 is not supported. A Sacramento, Calif., radio station has fired 10 employees after a woman died in a water-drinking contest to win a Nintendo Wii, the Associated Press and other media sources are reporting. John Geary, vice president and general manager of Entercom/Sacramento, the parent company of KDND, sent an e-mail to reporters Tuesday stating that "effective immediately, the 'Morning Rave' program is canceled and 10 employees are no longer with the station.". Jan. 16, 2007. http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Today/2007/01/16/3387786-sun.html, "Woman drinks so much water she dies." In other words, the employer will generally be liable if the employee was doing his or her job, carrying out company business, or otherwise acting on the employer's behalf when the incident took place. In 1969, the station raised its effective radiated power from 12,500 watts to more than 49,000. What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? A Californian woman who took part in a water-drinking contest to win a video game system has died of water intoxication, tests have shown. "We were so out of it, so disoriented. The KDNDs on-site station management and crew of the Morning Rave show were fired after Stranges death. 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. [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. In January 2007, hours after competing in a radio station contest to win a Nintendo Wii, 28-year-old Jennifer Strange was found dead in her California home. John Geary, vice president and marketing manager for Entercom Sacramento, the station's. The contest began around 6:45a.m. as contestants were each handed 240 mL (8oz) water bottles to drink at 15-minute intervals. I was talking to her and she was a nice lady, Ybarra said. According to contest participants, 17 to 20 contestants took part in the competition in a room at KDND's studios. Ms. Strange's death led to a civil action for wrongful death, which settled after a jury entered a $16.5 million judgment against KDND. The DJs also joked about Strange's distended belly, joking that she looked three months pregnant. [21] The Arrow format challenged KSEG (96.9 FM) and KHYL (101.1 FM). In severe cases of water intoxication, coma and death come fairly quickly as a result of brain swelling. ", "Your body is 98 percent water," one of the hosts remarked to his on-air audience. They were heckling her. [27] Management ultimately decided that the format was simply too similar to that station. Family: Sadistic radio contest caused wrongful death of mom. (provided by Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger). The corporation tried to argue that Strange should have known the contest was dangerous. 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. Under a legal doctrine sometimes referred to as "respondeat superior" (Latin for "Let the superior answer"), an employer is legally responsible for the actions of its employees. 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. After two weeks of deliberations, jurors last week 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, the Associated Press reported. All rights reserved. ZIP Brain cells are constrained by the skull and can end up bursting with the pressure of the water they are taking in. We want to thank all of our listeners for their continued support and we ask that you join us by keeping Jennifer and her family in your thoughts and prayers.". Cells keep sodium levels healthy by moving water and electrolytes into and out of the cell to either dilute or increase sodium levels in body fluids. She consumed massive amounts of water, developed severe headaches, seizures, coma and died within 24 hours. A preliminary investigation found evidence consistent with a water intoxication death, said assistant Coroner Ed Smith. Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, entered and she and other contestants vomited. Tim Curran said Wednesday that the department feels that it has enough information to begin an investigation. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Terms of Service apply. Jennifer Strange's youngest daughter was just 11 months old when her mother died. The station fired 10 employees after the death. Well, here's another good one. This 10-year journey to the loss of a valuable broadcasting license in such a prominent market is not surprising, given the facts. Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, hyperhydration, overhydration, or water toxemia, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe limits by excessive water intake. (10 pages), Drunk Floridian killed bird with Glock pistol, police charge. She consumed massive amounts of water, developed severe headaches, seizures, coma and died within 24 hours. As a sports columnist, he climbed the ski jump at the Norway Olympics,ate bee larvae in Japan and skied in the French Alps. Strange (pictured above in a family portrait) was awarded two tickets to a Justin Timberlake concert as a consolation prize. " said Elidia Campos, one of 20 contestants. 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". During the contest, she could be heard complaining about pain to disc jockeys at 107.9 "The End. I feel so awful, I'm about to pass out.' The exact amount of water intake that can lead to water intoxication is unknown and varies with each individual. A woman who competed in a radio stations contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroners office said Saturday. "I thought it was just water," Campos says, "that it would just flush out my body. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. display: block; "It was a preventable thing," Billy Strange told "Good Morning America" today of his wife's 2007 death from water toxicity. Strange, 28, competed in a radio station's contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner's office said Saturday, Jan. 14, 2007. According to witness reports, Strange, who placed second in the contest, may have drunk nearly 2 U.S. gallons (7.6L). [2] For most of this time, KXOA simulcast the AM station, which since its launch had been an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System. Speaking after the verdict, juror LaTeshia Paggett said the contest had never gone to the legal department "and it was supposed to go to legal. Cells actively maintain a precise sodium concentration in the body. Chronic dehydration is linked to higher incidences of some . Strange had showed fellow. [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. 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. 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. Several years ago, a woman died in a radio contest called "Hold your Wee for a Wii" where she tried to drink more water than any other contestant in order to win a video game console. In a statement, Entercom called Strange's death "a tragedy" and said it respected the jury's decision. Water intoxication is basically one form of hyponatremia -- the condition can also be caused by excessive sweating, severe burns, prolonged dehydration and certain liver and kidney problems, among other diseases and conditions. The winner of the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest was promised a Nintendo Wii video game system. [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. In that contest, a woman died, Wilson said. If it's caught early, treatment with IV fluids containing electrolytes can lead to a complete recovery; but untreated, hyponatremia is fatal. Strange was found dead Friday, January 12, 2007, hours after the contest. Ybarra said he quit after drinking five bottles. After downing some six liters of water in three hours in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" (Nintendo game console) contest, Jennifer Strange vomited, went home with a splitting headache, and died from . http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000394.htm, Lillis, Ryan. A California woman's death is being linked to her participation in a radio contest, the grand prize for which was a Nintendo Wii. A California died over the weekend after participating in a "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" radio promotion. Not that anyone at the station seemed concerned. The first song on The End was Everybody by Backstreet Boys. [20] The format did not improve KXOA's ratings; on March 25, 1994, the station flipped to a classic hits format branded as Arrow 108, adapted from Los Angeles' KCBS-FM. In severe cases of water intoxication, coma and death come fairly quickly as a result of brain swelling. The results of a preliminary . [38][39][40], On January 15, 2007, the front page of KDND's website was replaced with a message from John Geary, the station's vice-president and general manager, expressing sympathies to Strange's family and announcing that the Morning Rave program would be taken off the air indefinitely. [47] Subsequently, both DJs settled with Entercom for an undisclosed amount. "I asked her, 'How do you feel?' In July 1998, two years after the sale of the station to Entercom (now Audacy, Inc.), the station switched to its final KDND call letters and Top 40/CHR format branded as 107.9 The End. Midway through the contest, he said, the amount of water given to the participants was doubled. "Your body is 98 percent water. [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. [2] Brown responded by hiring a new operations manager, Don Daniels, from WOMC in Detroit. "Not with water," a male disc jockey replied. Ten employees were fired following the incident. She died because of her participation in a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii.". The Courier News. "Can you get water poisoning and, like, die?" [37] On January 17, the Los Angeles Times reported that Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness had ordered homicide detectives to investigate whether a crime had been committed. Employer Liability for Employee's Bad Acts. Dreyer charged that even after getting phone calls -- one from a nurse -- the DJs did not pass along information about the dangers of drinking too much water to the contestants. KDND (107.9MHz) was an FM radio station licensed to Sacramento, California, United States. (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. And, as the name implies, the players could not use the restroom. 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. "We believe that people are constantly told we should drink water. And if you found their antics mean and offensive, maybe you just weren't cool enough to get the joke. 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. JANUARY 25--The family of the California woman who died from water intoxication after trying to win a video game console in a radio . Water intoxication: When a person drinks large quantities of water rapidly, the normal balance of electrolytes in the body can be diluted to the point that brain function is disturbed, leading to. But when someone drinks a tremendous amount of water in a short period of time, and the water does not contain any added electrolytes, the cellular maintenance system can't handle the level of sodium dilution that occurs. [46] In August, two of the KDND DJs, Adam "Lukas" Cox and Steve Maney, sued Entercom over a wrongful termination of their contract. Over the next month, the jury heard testimony from over 41 witnesses as 192 exhibits were entered into evidence. By early 1975, the station had shifted to a soft AOR format, which would be successful throughout the remaining half of the 1970s. Jennifer Strange, 28, 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. He also wrote about riding the Straight Talk Express with JohnMcCain during his first presidential bid, parachuting out of anairplane and running the Boston Marathon. The station's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" challenge awarded the game system to the contestant who could drink the most water without having to take a trip to the bathroom. The clips above are highlights of the best-of-the . Jan. 13, 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/13/water.intox.ap/index.html, Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security, The London Free Press: Sports drinks fight water intoxication. [19] It also dropped its local news coverage. A California jury came back witha huge verdict for the family of a 28 year old woman who died as a result of a radio contest gone bad. Station Vice President and General Manager John Geary issued a statement of sympathy on Tuesday. Strange was one of the original 20 contestants who were put in a room with one DJ separate from the studio where they could not hear on-air comments or callers. [35] At one point, a nurse contacted the station and informed the DJs that the contest could be dangerous and potentially fatal. Texas man who lost wife and son in shooting shares story About: Chemistry. "She was in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" competition trying to win a Nintendo Wii video game system." That triggered two others to throw up, although it didn't help when one of the DJs made retching sounds to encourage heaving. They talked about their kids, watched a video on Campos' DVD player, and commiserated about how terrible they felt. At the time of the station's closing, KDND's studios were located in North Highlands (though with a Sacramento address), while its transmitter was located just north of the Sacramento city limits near Elverta. for a more detailed description). What was the cause of Jennifer Strange Death? When the Wii . Learn more Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. Once the contest was narrowed down to two, Strange and the eventual winner, Lucy Davidson, were brought into the studio. Though the defense argued that Strange should have accepted some responsibility in knowing that drinking so much water was dangerous, Billy Strange's attorney Roger Dreyer told "GMA" that she acted as any normal person would have in those circumstances. asked the female disc jockey. No family members were present at a news conference this week calling for the rejection of the stations licence renewal. Four members of the Chi Tau fraternity pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. The result is that cells desperately try to increase the sodium concentration in body fluids by taking in tremendous amounts of water. Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old Rancho Cordova, Calif. mother of three, died of acute water intoxication in January, 2007 after the challenge to see which contestant could drink the most water without using the restroom. There was no way I could make a rational decision, especially with people egging you on.". Campos dropped out with two other contestants when one of them began to vomit. Jennifer Strange, 28, 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. 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. ", No, actually, he wasn't. I just can't stop thinking about it.". [12] The station re-branded as Super Stereo K108, featuring Top 40 music and album-oriented rock (AOR) at night. [52] Maney hosts mornings on WNKS in Charlotte, and Sweet hosted mornings on WPLJ in New York City under the name Jayde Donovan until the station's sale in 2019; she now hosts a show on Apple Music 1 and a show syndicated through Westwood One. TermsPrivacyDisclaimerCookiesDo Not Sell My Information, Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select, Please enter a legal issue and/or a location, (city, DNA solves "decades-old mystery" after woman's remains found in 1995 . "She talked about her kids the whole time. 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. [6][7] However, the Rhodes group did not materialize, and three months later, Fuqua filed to sell the station to a consortium consisting of Drake-Chenault, a national program syndicator, and Brown Broadcasting, which owned KGB-AM-FM in San Diego. [30], On January 12, 2007, KDND's morning show, the Morning Rave, held an on-air contest entitled Hold Your Wee for a Wii, in which contestants were asked to drink as much water as they could without urinating. Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. However, because Ms. As a listener who identified herself as "Eve" told the morning crew, people "can get sick and possibly die from water intoxication. #inline-recirc-item--id-d4637c66-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { The FCC ruled that Stolz's arguments had no merit and that he was not a party of interest in the dispute between Media Action Center and Entercom that led to the license revocation hearing. [3], In 1961, Cal-Val experimented with splitting the AM and FM stations, changing the FM to a country format as KCNW. / CBS News. In January 2007, KDND's morning show controversially held an on-air contest in which contestants were challenged to drink as much water as they could without urinating, in order to win a Nintendo Wii video game console. It seemed a great wheeze at the time - a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" . 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. The co-worker contacted Strange's mother, who went to her home an hour later to find her daughter dead. Drinking fluids made to replace electrolytes can help prevent intoxication. Ten minutes later, they had to drink another. The hosts of KDND-FM's "Morning Rave" were fired Tuesday, a day after the station said it was suspending the show and investigating the death of Jennifer Lea Strange. [26] The combination of rock stations proved a problem for differentiating them and even resulted in changes in airstaff at stablemate KSEG.