10 fired after Wii death jokes

[wraggster]

via cvg

KDND 107.9, The US radio station whose 'Hold your wee for a Wii' contest led to the death of a mother of three, has fired 10 staff involved - including five on-air personalities - after reports suggest that they made jokes after listeners expressed concerns over water intoxication on air.

According to The Sacramento Bee, one listener had phoned it to point out the danger only to be told that the station was "aware" of it, while another host joked that contestants had signed a release, "so we're not responsible".

"We got a guy who's just about to die," a reporter with the contestents said. "Make sure he signs the release," the radio host replied.

Of course the banter eventually took a bitter irony as 28-year-old Jenifer Strange complained of a headache and was later found dead in her home in Sacramento California - the cause of death found to be water intoxication.

But despite the distasteful nature of the contest local sheriffs said that there are no grounds for a criminal investigation: "It's not as if she was somehow in their custody and they had a role to care for her. Rather, it was an invitation to a contest that was clearly ill- advised. She was exercising her free will," Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness told the Bee. "If there's anything to suggest a criminal act by anyone involved in this, we'd pick it up and run with it."

the word idiots comes to mind, my heart goes out to the husband and children of the poor women involved

[Demolition49]

a very unfortunate story, glad to hear they were sacked. The radio station should provide some compensation.

[Kaeruyaki]

Such a sad story. The station should have researched about water toxication before holding a contest like this. Most people don't know how dangerous it can be, so signing a disclaimer wouldn't ring as a bad idea to the contestants.

[Zion]

Im Glad to see those assholes got there comeuppance.

There should have been clear safety advice before the contest that in my view shouldn't have been done in the first place

[acn010]

that very rare with water,,, hmm. now im scared from drinking water.....

[inlovewithi]

They sound like "Howard Stern immitators." But Howard Stern is very sensitive to possible dangers, wouldn't had happened on his show.

[shadowprophet]

Its good to hear they got canned.
I Cant believe people would take such a tragic Situation as funny.

[Mr_Squirt]

that very rare with water,,, hmm. now im scared from drinking water.....

it's only rare because most people don't tend to drink a shed load of water in a matter of a few minutes. as long as you aren't stupid enough to drink litres and litres of water in a short space of time you have nothing to be afraid of. Any liquid would have done it.
But yea, sad story indeed, they should definately pay compensation.