The family of a US woman who died after taking part in a water drinking competition has received $16 million in compensation.  A  California court found that the radio station KDND FM and its owner were liable for the death of the woman and ordered them to pay the compensation.

The woman, Jennifer Strange, was 28 years old and a mother of three.  She had participated in a competition run by the radio station to see who could drink the most amount of water without going to the toilet.  The prize was a Nintendo Wii.  Unfortunately she lost and later died of acute water intoxication.  It is thought that she drank up to 7.5 litres of water in the hope of winning the console for her children.

Water intoxication can eventually cause the brain to swell, stopping vital functions such as breathing and thereby causing death.