More Answers to Come in Wii Contest Death [Update]
This story continues to develop. The Sacrament County Sheriff’s Dept. is launching a criminal investigation into the suspected “water intoxication” death of Jennifer Strange who died while participating in 107.9 The End’s “Hold your wee for a Wii” contest.
Apparently the hosts of the “Morning Rave” show the were told by many listeners that the contest was not a good idea and that there was a real danger in participating in such an activity. Most listener comments were met with the arrogance and the “I’ll do what I want on my show” attitude common among morning show hosts. One Dj’s response to the criticism was “Yeah, they signed releases, so we’re not responsible. We’re OK.” Still think their termination wasn’t justified?
The Sacramento county coroner has also confirmed that water intoxication was the cause of death in the Strange case, Confirming earlier reports.
Kotaku posted a picture of Jennifer Strange and her family to accompany their post but I decided against it. If you guys would rather see the picture of the women and her family drop a comment, and let me know.
Source:Kotaku & Officer.com
[UPDATE] Added Physiology of water intoxication
What is water intoxication?
Hit the jump to find out
Physiology of water intoxication
Body fluids contain electrolytes (particularly sodium compounds, such as sodium chloride) in concentrations that must be held within very narrow limits. Water enters the body orally or intravenously, and leaves the body primarily in the urine and in sweat. If water enters the body more quickly than it can be removed, body fluids are diluted and a potentially dangerous shift in electrolyte balance occurs.
Most water intoxication is caused by hyponatremia, an overdilution of sodium in the blood plasma, which in turn causes an osmotic shift of water from extracellular fluid (outside of cells) to intracellular fluid (within cells). The cells swell as a result of changes in osmotic pressure and may cease to function. When this occurs in the cells of the central nervous system and brain, water intoxication is the result. Additionally, many other cells in the body may undergo cytolysis, wherein cell membranes that are unable to stand abnormal osmotic pressures rupture, killing the cells. Initial symptoms typically include light-headedness, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headache and/or malaise. Plasma sodium levels below 100 mmol/L (2.3g/L) frequently result in cerebral edema, seizures, coma, and death within a few hours of drinking the excess water. As with alcohol poisoning, the progression from mild to severe symptoms may occur rapidly as the water continues to enter the body from the stomach or intravenously.
A person with two healthy kidneys can excrete about 1.5 litres of water per hour at maximum filtration (other studies find the limit to be as little as 0.9L/h ). Consuming as little as 1.8 litres of water in a single sitting may prove fatal for a person adhering to a low-sodium diet, or 3 litres for a person on a normal diet. However, this must be modulated by potential water losses via other routes. For example, a person who is perspiring heavily may lose 1 L/h of water through perspiration alone, thereby raising the threshold for water intoxication. The problem is further complicated by the amount of electrolytes lost in urine or sweat, which is variable within a range controlled by the body’s regulatory mechanisms. Water intoxication can be prevented by consuming water that is isotonic with water losses, but the exact concentration of electrolytes required is difficult to determine and evolves over time, and the greater the time period involved, the smaller the disparity that may suffice to produce electrolyte imbalance and water intoxication.
Source: Reference.com
January 19th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Yes I just heard it on Opie and Anthony ! They even offered her Justin Timberlake tickets instead if she would have accepted them in the begging she would be alive:(
HERE IS A LITTLE MORE ON WATER INTOXICATION
When too much water enters the body’s cells, the tissues swell with the excess fluid. Your cells maintain a specific concentration gradient, so excess water outside the cells (the serum) draws sodium from within the cells out into the serum in an attempt to re-establish the necessary concentration. As more water accumulates, the serum sodium concentration drops — a condition known as hyponatremia. The other way cells try to regain the electrolyte balance is for water outside the cells to rush into the cells via osmosis. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from higher to lower concentration is called osmosis. Although electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells than outside, the water outside the cells is ‘more concentrated’ or ‘less dilute’ since it contains fewer electrolytes. Both electrolytes and water move across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Theoretically, cells could swell to the point of bursting.
From the cell’s point of view, water intoxication produces the same effects as would result from drowning in fresh water. Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days.
January 19th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Wow I just heard she was so bloated from the water she looked pregnant at the end she got the tickets to see Justin Timberlake and never got to make it.
January 19th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Thanks for the info on WI Linda I added the description from reference.com as well.
January 19th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
I like Dr. Strange. A lot.
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:23 am
Well to much of anything, good or bad will (not can) hurt you. If the contestants signed a waver and didn’t read any of it, well sorry that’s their own “educated” decision obviously. And even if they were warned they had the wavers and I also read that the people were asked if they were “dieing” they all said no, she may of said her head hurt. But not kidding, grab some salty food or just some salt and balance yourself out. I’m 19 and know that if I’ve consumed to much water at a sports practice for example get some salt. What works great is energy drinks like Gatorade. Puts the salt right back in you and helps balance out your water intake. Now if these people didn’t understand the dangerous side effects, whether they were informed or not is irrelevant really. It’s just common sense to stop something if your body says to. If she wasn’t listening to her body, well her problem. Don’t get me wrong I feel really bad for her family, her son inparticular, and not because he didn’t get his Wii, he lost his Mom! I don’t full out agree with firing 10 people, but I do understand if they were trying to make an example and clear their name up. The fact that their radio station is called “the END” doesn’t help their cause at all but I just hope the family can pull through and be alright.
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:24 am
Oh and I forgot. Paul…what kind of random comment was that. Granted Tim posted a Dr. Strange picture, but what you said wasn’t relivant in the slightest to what anyone had to say.