$16.5 mln award to family in water-drinking death case

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$16.5 mln award to family in water-drinking death case

BEIJING, October 30 -- A family in the United Stated has been awarded 16.5 million U.S dollars following the death of a 28-year-old woman in a water-drinking contest.

A Sacramento County jury found Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp. and its Sacramento subsidiary liable for the actions of its employees at Sacramento radio station KDND-FM which organized the event.

Jennifer Strange, a mother of three, died of acute water intoxication in January 2007 after the challenge to see which contestant could drink the most water without going to the bathroom. A Nintendo Wii video game system was offered as the prize for winning the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest. During the trial Entercom argued that Strange should have known the contest could be dangerous.The station fired 10 employees after the death.

During two weeks of testimony the jury heard that radio personalities at 107.9 The End had discussed the death of Matthew Carrington, a Chico State student who died of acute water intoxication during a hazing incident. That incident had been discussed on air a month before the ill-fated contest. The station had suggested compensation of 4.5 million dollars while lawyers for the family had sought 34 million dollars.