Nintendo Wii "Wee" Contest Kills Mother of Three

Heeeere come the fanboys.  The Nintendo Wii is again in need of vicious defense this morning, after a contest with the console set as prize resulted in the death of a mother of three.

It's tough to blame Nintendo or the Wii for this one, however.  But, it's another painful and generally odd story surrounding a system that has won the hearts of the mainstream media and "casual gamers".  Enter Sacramento, California resident Jennifer Strange, 28, who died Friday after drinking more than a half gallon (or two liters) of water while taking part in a radio show's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" giveaway.

Believe it or not, "water intoxication" is for real.  Sacramento's coroner confirmed to the media that tests continued to reveal this as the ultimate cause of Strange's death.

How'd it happen?

Those participating in the contest were given eight ounce (or 225 mL) containers of water to consume over fifteen minute periods.  The way to win?  Pretty simple, whoever drank the most without "weeing" won themselves the similarly named console.

Strange's death was not immediate.  Although she complained of a headache to coworkers, few thought her body's electrolytes were spiraling out of balance, ultimately leading to her death (likely via brain swelling and then seizure) hours later.

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15 comments
Posted by Chris on January 17,2007 at 3:38 PM
I think that the tragedy of this mothera goes to show that the nintendo company should release large amounts of the consoles to stores.  That way people won't go through such drastic measures to get their hands on one.
Posted by xntrk on January 17,2007 at 3:08 PM
haha ... wow. It got really wild in here.  Personal opinion rests with "dont' blame Nintendo" backers here in this blog.  It's true. You can't blame a company for making people do what they do. It's is, and always has been, the responsibility of the consumer/user/public to control and condone excessive behaviour. Same deal with the straps.  Consumers are idiots, period. You want something so bad you're willing to risk your health and well-being for, go right ahead. *shakes head in disgust*
Posted by mattys on January 16,2007 at 4:57 PM
I'd actually heard of this kind of 'death by water' before, but in relation to sports. When you sweat a ton while playing sports you are actually losing electrolytes (I thought it was sodium/salt) or some such thing. If you then go and drink a ton of water you further throw off the balance of your body even further and it somehow makes your brain swell, killing you.
Posted by Cool Ray on January 16,2007 at 1:56 PM
You Nintendo appologists should just suck it up and take accountability for once.

Nintendo corporations irresponsiblity is in the face of this tragedy proves they're trying to run around with their head in the sand.

I mean come on!! Nintendo knew what they were doing! They chose the name Wii and Wii sounds like Pee - obviously releasing such a device to children was eventually going to cause some form of uninary hydration mishap - they saw it coming and chose to do nothing!

When a manufacturer makes goods that everybody wants, they have to take into account the things people are prepared to do to obtain it. They knew the Nintendo Pee was going to cause electrolytic deficiencies in its victims so they should have made it less desireable. They could have used crummier graphics or made the Wii-Mote not as cool. These video manufacturer's don't understand they're like drug dealers - and it's time this madness ended!

Shame on Nintendo and shame on you Wii fans who act like Nintendo is innocent.  The Wii-Mote in your hands is as good as the blood of the victims it will claim in hydro-intoxicant murder.
Posted by Robert on January 16,2007 at 1:39 PM
So you put up an article with a trolling and misleading first paragraph, then want us to believe you don't want idiots posting dumb comments?

Somehow that doesn't make sense.
Posted by Meli on January 16,2007 at 1:36 PM
I think it's absurd what people will do for video games, it's a little pathetic.
Posted by Sakata on January 16,2007 at 12:28 PM
I LOVE CAPS LOCK ALOT!!!
Posted by Steve Pell on January 16,2007 at 11:55 AM
I don't see how this has anything to do with Nintendo. They did not hold the contest, they just happened to build the system (I do realize you aren't really attacking Nintendo in this) . I wonder what the outcome for the radio station is.

Very odd story, but very interesting!
Posted by arsen on January 16,2007 at 11:41 AM
Your attempt to provoke the wii enthousiasts is really displaced...
Posted by TERRY on January 16,2007 at 11:31 AM
ITS NOT NINTENDOS FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY. PEOPLE ENTERING CONTEST NEEDS TO CHECK OUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO WIN. THE RADIO STATION SHOULD HAD POSTED THE SIDE AFFECTS OF DRINKING TO MUCH WATER. ITS A TERRIBLE TRADEGY THIS HAPPEN TO THIS YOUNG LADY. TO THINK SHE WAS DOING THIS FOR HER CHILDREN. THE NEXT CONTEST ANYBODY ENTERS NEEDS TO KNOW THE SIDE AFFECTS IF IT IS CONTAINING  ORAL CONSUPTION.  DID THE STATION TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT THE AFFECTS OF THIS. WERE THE CONTESTANTS MADE ACKNOWLEDGEABLE FOR THIS. IF THE RADIO DIDN'T TELL CONTESTANTS THE SIDE  AFFECTS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEATH. I DON' T THINK THIS LADY WOULD HAVE ENTERED THE CONTEST INTENTIONALY IF SHE WOULD HAD KNOWN. THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY OF THIS YOUNG LADY IS WHO IS GOING TO HAVE TO SUFFER OVER A MISTAKE.
Posted by AtomicAids on January 16,2007 at 11:18 AM
Too much of anything is bad. Water is to be consumed in small doses. Large quantities of water flushes your bodies electrolytes and causes over hydration which can kill you faster than dehydration. That's why it is recommended in 8oz. glasses not 2 liters...

That radio station should be charged with involuntary manslaughter for being stupid...

I still don't know what that has to do with Nintendo though...
Posted by rickey on January 16,2007 at 11:04 AM
The last video game I owned was a "pong" knock-off 25 years ago, so it i safe to say I'm no great fan of video game systems, but 90% accountability rests squarely (IMO) with the person who came-up with that innane contest in the first place.
Posted by Mr.Mike_L on January 16,2007 at 10:58 AM
Oh I really hope people go after this radio station.   It happens all the time, idiot hosts think of these great ideas..   "lets make people drink lots and lots of water.  WAY more than they EVER should in such a timespan....    in the hopes of winning an elusive electronic device.  That way theyll do ANYTHING for it!"

I hope these people are  charged...  with something...  *shakes his head*...    the show is suspended, but those morning show hosts should be fired.

but really.  how is it that noone in that meeting said..  "hey,  might this be dangerous?"
Posted by Mikey on January 16,2007 at 10:03 AM
I don't see how Nintendo would be accountable for that.  It was the radio station that ran the contest.

It did not say how long she actually held it in and maybe that was a factor.  You really shouldn't hold it in if you can help it.  You might get uromisotisis poisoning.  Didn't they consult a urologist when they thought that contest up?

If drinking too much water is really was the issue it seems to go against what all the health and fitness people say about drinking lots of water huh.
Posted by xntrk on January 16,2007 at 10:00 AM
uh oh!  Here they come ....

*skulks around cautiously, keeping an eye out for Nintendo Fanboys/Fangirls wielding their plastic Link swords, shaking their firsts like some etherworldly warlock and garbed in the latest in elfen attire*