Radio Station Faces Criminal Probe, Lawsuit

Jan. 18, 2006— -- A homicide investigation is under way, 10 radio station employees have been fired and the three children of 28-year-old Jennifer Lea Strange have lost their mother.

"She was trying to win something for her family that she thought we would enjoy," the woman's husband said in a short statement to news cameras. "We will miss her dearly. She was my girl."

Strange entered a water-drinking contest on Jan. 12 called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" sponsored by the Sacramento radio station KDND-FM.

The concept was simple: The three disc jockeys running the morning "Rave" program would award a prized Nintendo video game console to the contestant who could drink the most water without having to use the bathroom or throw up.

Strange placed second after drinking nearly two gallons of water. Preliminary findings from the Sacramento County coroner's office indicate the death is "consistent with water intoxication."

Now, Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinnes has assigned homicide detectives to look into Strange's death and the Strange family is expected to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the station. That announcement could come today.

It is possible to drink too much water -- it's called hyponatremia. When the body's balance of salt and water becomes too diluted, it can cause swelling in the brain.

Cells take on extra water and expand. Early signs include headaches and impaired mental function. According to the broadcast of the program, those are exactly the symptoms Jennifer complained of to the disc jockeys during the contest.

DJ: "Jennifer, I heard you were not doing too well."

Jennifer:"My head hurts."

DJ: "Aw."

Jennifer: "They keep telling me it's the water. It will tell my head to hurt and that it will make me puke, but … "

DJ: "Who told you that? The intern?"

Jennifer: "Yeah, it makes you … it hurts, but it makes me feel light-headed."

Judy Linder, a registered nurse listening to the program, was so alarmed that she asked a colleague to call the station to warn them of the contest's dangers.