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Mother-of-three Jennifer Strange was 28 when she died in 2007 after participating in the "Hold Your Wee For a Wii" contest run by KDND-FM.
The contest promised the popular Nintendo video game to the person who could drink the most water without urinating or vomiting.
An autopsy determined that Strange died of water intoxication. No criminal charges were filed in the case, but Strange's survivors sued the station and its owners for more than 34 million dollars.
Attorneys for the station argued that Strange's death was unforeseeable and that the woman's "contributory negligence" led in part to her death.
Jurors awarded Strange's husband and three children 16.57 million dollars.
Under the contest's rules, participants were given eight fluid ounce (225 milliliter) bottles of water to drink at 15-minute intervals. The competitor drinking the most water without urinating was to be declared the winner.
Strange had complained to work colleagues of a sore head hours after participating in the contest and went home early. She was later found dead.
Water intoxication can occur when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is altered by a rapid intake of water. This can cause brain swelling, seizures, coma or death.
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The contest promised the popular Nintendo video game to the person who could drink the most water without urinating or vomiting.
An autopsy determined that Strange died of water intoxication. No criminal charges were filed in the case, but Strange's survivors sued the station and its owners for more than 34 million dollars.
Attorneys for the station argued that Strange's death was unforeseeable and that the woman's "contributory negligence" led in part to her death.
Jurors awarded Strange's husband and three children 16.57 million dollars.
Under the contest's rules, participants were given eight fluid ounce (225 milliliter) bottles of water to drink at 15-minute intervals. The competitor drinking the most water without urinating was to be declared the winner.
Strange had complained to work colleagues of a sore head hours after participating in the contest and went home early. She was later found dead.
Water intoxication can occur when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is altered by a rapid intake of water. This can cause brain swelling, seizures, coma or death.
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