Some drowning cases only begin to make sense after forensic pathology reveals what was happening inside the body before death. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains how forensic pathologists use vitreous fluid from the eye to detect dangerous electrolyte imbalances like hyponatremia after death, then he shares two memorable cases that show how something as ordinary and necessary as water can become deadly under the wrong circumstances. It is a sobering look at how heat, exertion, overhydration, and underlying mental and physical illness can intersect in ways most people never expect.

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Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(0:15) Why vitreous fluid from the eye is useful for postmortem toxicology and electrolyte testing

(2:30) Sodium basics: how the body regulates hydration, blood pressure, and cellular function

(5:15) Case one: a 24-year-old competitive swimmer is found floating face down in a lake

(7:30) A mother’s challenge prompts a closer look

(8:45) Vitreous electrolyte testing results: critically low sodium and severe hyponatremia

(9:45) How heat, exertion, sweating, and drinking only water can trigger exercise-associated hyponatremia

(13:45) Why open-water swimming carries a high risk for exercise-associated hyponatremia and neurological collapse

(15:15) Final ruling: drowning with hyponatremia as a significant contributing factor

(15:45) The Fran Crippen case and the safety rule created to prevent similar deaths in open-water racing

(18:00) Case two: a malnourished 21-year-old grad student is found dead after compulsive water consumption

(20:45) Psychogenic polydipsia, anorexia, and OCD: how excessive water intake led to fatal dilutional hyponatremia

About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show: Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts. If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.