[kendra k]

it's a little weird to see that this story has reached the bbc. it's from my home town of sacramento. it's incredibly stupid.

A California radio station has dismissed 10 of its employees after a woman who had taken part in a water-drinking contest it held died.

The KDND 107.9 station in Sacramento sacked the hosts of its morning show and other members of staff.

The show had challenged listeners to drink as much water as they could to win a Nintendo Wii video game system.

One participant - Jennifer Strange - later died as a result of drinking too much water, initial tests showed.

Ms Strange, 28, said she wanted to win the game - "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" game - for her children.

A work colleague said Ms Strange had complained her head was hurting hours after the contest and was going home.

She was found dead on Friday at her house in Rancho Cordova.

The Sacramento County coroner later said preliminary autopsy findings suggested she had died of water intoxication.

The county's sheriff said that there did not appear to be grounds for a criminal investigation.

"It's not as if [Ms Strange] was somehow in their custody and they had a role to care for her," John McGinness is quoted as saying by the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

"Rather, it was an invitation to a contest that was clearly ill-advised. She was exercising her free will."

[Ballbag]

You Americans are so kookie!

[MK Chris]

I was reading about that the other day, didn't realise it was in your home town Kendra! As you say, it sounds incredibly stupid.

[kendra k]

well, to be fair, the radio station is for idiots and the woman is from rancho cordova- home of the ukranian mafia and lots of trash in colors.

[funkyseaweed]

I saw this in the Metro free newspaper a couple of days ago. What an idiot. I wouldn't have thought a Wii is really worth dying for. I'm sure she could have just saved up and waited, like any normal person.

[Ballbag]

I saw this in the Metro free newspaper a couple of days ago. What an idiot. I wouldn't have thought a Wii is really worth dying for. I'm sure she could have just saved up and waited, like any normal person.

I'm quite sure gunkyseaweed that the thought of a risk never entered the lady's mind.

[Yudster]

Am I right in thinking that one of the main dangers of taking ecstasy is that it makes you drink so much water that this condition is a very real possibility? I vaguely remember hearing something about it a few years ago, but I don't think "water intoxication" is a very well publicised condition, I'd be surprised if more than a handful (proportionately) of people know about it.

[Lucie]

I wouldn't have thought a Wii is really worth dying for. I'm sure she could have just saved up and waited, like any normal person.

i wouldn't have