Station Facing Homicide Probe, Lawsuit

Jan. 18, 2007 — -- The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has launched a homicide investigation into the death of Jennifer Lea Strange, a mother of three who died after drinking too much water during a radio-station contest on Jan. 12.

The Strange family is also expected to file a wrongful death suit against KDND-FM, the station responsible for the contest, the winner of which won a video game console.

According to The Associated Press, the family of the woman, 28, will announce the lawsuit at a news conference today in Sacramento, Calif.

Detectives opened the criminal probe after listening to a tape of the broadcast obtained by The Sacramento Bee newspaper. In the recording, Strange tells the show's three disc jockeys that she is lightheaded and does not feel well. They respond with sarcastic sympathy.

Strange was one of 18 participants in a contest the disc jockeys on KDND's "Morning Rave" program called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."

The contestant who drank the most water without going to the bathroom would win a Nintendo Wii gaming console.

Strange came in second after drinking nearly two gallons of water. Preliminary findings from the Sacramento County coroner's office indicated that her death was "consistent with water intoxication."

Judy Linder, a registered nurse, was listening to the program and was so alarmed that she asked a colleague to call and warn the station.

"She told them you could die from water intoxication," Linder told ABC affiliate KXTV in Sacramento. "He [the disc jockey] pretty much blew that off and said they signed a release so, so what? Then he said why don't your guys come down here and do it, and we said because we don't want to die."

According to a tape of the show, the disc jockeys appeared to joke about the possible dangers of consuming too much water and alluded to a college student who had died during such a stunt in 2005.

"Yeah, we're aware of that," one of the disc jockeys said.

Another disc jockey said: "Yeah. They signed releases, so we're not responsible. We're OK."

"And if they get to the point where they have to throw up, then they're going to throw up, and they're out of the contest before they die, so that's good, right?" another disc jockey said.