Read about it here.

So who won the contest?

 

Anwered my own question.......

Found on msnbc.

 

My wife tells me something similar about a radio contest in Tucson years back, where contestants were timed on how fast they could chug a gallon of water. No deaths, but all the contestants started puking almost instantly after finishing the gallons.

 

Looks like the radio station DJ's were aware and warned. I find the following quote disgusting: DJ said with a laugh: "Yeah, they signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

Sheriff Looks Into Water-Drinking Death
By JULIET WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 18, 4:17 AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - As participants in KDND-FM's water-drinking contest chugged bottle after bottle, a listener called in to warn the disc jockeys that the stunt was dangerous _ and could be fatal.

"Yeah, we're aware of that," one of them responded.

Another DJ said with a laugh: "Yeah, they signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

Those comments, and others made during the Jan. 12 "Morning Rave" radio show, appeared to give little regard to the risk of water intoxication _ until a woman died just hours after imbibing nearly two gallons in the contest.

On Wednesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department launched a criminal investigation into the incident, and attorneys for the family of Jennifer Lea Strange said they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the radio station.

The county coroner said preliminary autopsy findings indicate Strange, a 28-year-old mother of three, died of water intoxication.

Authorities decided to pursue the investigation after listening to a tape of the show, obtained by The Sacramento Bee, during which DJs joked about the possible dangers of consuming too much water, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said. At one point, the DJs even alluded to a college student who died during a similar stunt in 2005.

Strange was one of about 18 contestants who tried to win a Nintendo Wii gaming console by determining how much water they could drink without going to the bathroom. The show's DJs called the contest "Hold your Wee for a Wii."

Several hours into the contest, Strange was interviewed on the air and complained that her head hurt.

"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.

Eventually, Strange gave in and accepted the second-place prize: tickets to a Justin Timberlake concert. She commented that she looked pregnant, and a female DJ agreed.

"Oh, my gosh, look at that belly. That's full of water. ... Come on over, Jennifer, you OK?" a male DJ asked. "You going to pass out right now? Too much water?"

Several hours later, Strange was found dead in her home.

On Tuesday, KDND's parent company, Entercom/Sacramento, fired 10 employees connected to the contest, including three morning disc jockeys. The company also took the morning show off the air.

Station spokesman Charles Sipkins said Wednesday the company had not yet heard from the sheriff's department but that it would cooperate with the investigation.

 

You can't blame the radio station or DJs for the lady’s own stupidity. Especially if she signed a release form. That's just asinine.

 

You can't just have someone sige a release form unless you know the dangers. That will not hold up in court. They did a stupid contest and did not look into what could happen. I know I was shocked when I heard water poisioning. That was new to me.

It will go to court. Hard to say what will happen then. But lawyers have already told them the release form is worthless.

 

Ah! So they kind of mislead her by not letting her know the dangers before hand. Now I understand.

 

Yeah they signed a release form but were the contestants informed of the danger of consumming such a large amount of water in a short period of time. You also have to wonder at the DJ's lack of concern overall. Strange complained during the event that her head hurt. Quote from her: "They keep telling me its the water. That it will tell my head to hurt and then it will make me puke." Doesn't sound as though she is aware of the possible consequences and when she started to complain why didn't they stop her or have her seek medical attention especially since they were aware of the danger.

 

Mislead, not really. But they did not research the dangers. So they didn't know. But that's what's going to decide it. I'm surprised the family has not sued yet. It's going to be interesting how it turns out.

 

I'm sure that any silly stunt put on by a radio station would have waivers signed. That's the norm. So when they had the contestants sign those papers, it probably wasn't cause they knew how dangerous the stunt could be. But the fact that they were warned by listeners and even joked about it, is pretty shocking to me. First it was ignorance, then arrogance.