Water Intoxication Death in Sacramento Radio Contest Followed by Family's Lawsuit

By Mary Mitchell

Published on January 19, 2007

The "Morning Rave" show conducted a contest they called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" — "Wii" being Nintendo's game console, retail price about $250. Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, of Rancho Cordova died that day after participating in the contest, which she'd told a friend she was entering in an attempt to win the Wii for her children. Although it is clear on the morning show's 4-hour-long tape that Maney, Lukas, and Trish clearly understood that drinking too much water can be dangerous, even fatal, they are heard repeatedly joking about the contestants' vomiting, passing out, and chance of dying from the excessive water consumption, noting that the contestants "signed releases." Seven other KDND employees involved in the show including on-air personalities ''Carter'' and ''Fester" were also fired by KDND's parent company Entercom/Sacramento through KDND general manager John Geary. The "Morning Rave" show was also cancelled.

The Sacramento County Coroner's early autopsy findings indicate that Strange died of water intoxication. According to reports by witnesses, Strange had drunk nearly two gallons of water when she relented, taking second place — tickets to a Justin Timberlake contest. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department has begun a criminal investigation into the circumstances of Strange's death. Her family's attorney, Roger Dreyer of Dreyer, Babich, Buccola & Callaham in Sacramento, called the contest a ratings stunt designed to boost profits.

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