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.



If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, help is available. For support, education, and treatment referrals, contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at 1-866-663-1235.



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.

 

Some drowning cases only begin to make sense after forensic pathology reveals what was&nbsp;happening inside the body before death. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief&nbsp;Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains how forensic pathologists use vitreous fluid from&nbsp;the eye to detect dangerous electrolyte imbalances like hyponatremia after death, then he&nbsp;shares two memorable cases that show how something as ordinary and necessary as water can&nbsp;become deadly under the wrong circumstances. It is a sobering look at how heat, exertion,&nbsp;overhydration, and underlying mental and physical illness can intersect in ways most people&nbsp;never expect. 
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, help is available. For support,&nbsp;education, and treatment referrals, contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at 1-866-663-1235. 
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&nbsp;testing
(2:30) Sodium basics: how the body regulates hydration, blood pressure, and cellular&nbsp;function
(5:15) Case one: a 24-year-old competitive swimmer is found floating face down in a&nbsp;lake
(7:30) A mother&rsquo;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&nbsp;exercise-associated hyponatremia
(13:45) Why open-water swimming carries a high risk for exercise-associated&nbsp;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&nbsp;open-water racing
(18:00) Case two: a malnourished 21-year-old grad student is found dead after&nbsp;compulsive water consumption
(20:45) Psychogenic polydipsia, anorexia, and OCD: how excessive water intake led to&nbsp;fatal dilutional hyponatremia 
About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized&nbsp;forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and&nbsp;Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court&nbsp;hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy&nbsp;Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd&nbsp;realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show: Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world&nbsp;of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode&nbsp;delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows&nbsp;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&nbsp;Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts. If you liked this&nbsp;episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself&mdash;follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.
&nbsp;

It's chaos, blood and body parts. Join Dr. Kendall Crowns each week as he discusses stories and cases from his over 35-year journey of death from the tornado alley of Kansas, the bloody Memphis shoreline of the muddy Mississippi river, the ultra-violence of Chicago, and finally the Methamphetamine fueled insanity of Texas -- encompassing his days as an autopsy tech, medical student, resident/fellow and finally as a medical examiner. Stories range from humorous to horrifying and cover a wide variety of topics from week to week. You will never know what you will hear, be it courtroom drama, decapitations, gangland shootings, feet with no body, or chihuahuas feasting on the flesh of decomposing bodies. The cases will never end. It will always be different and there is never a dull moment. So, tune in each week and climb aboard, your nightmares will never be the same

It's chaos, blood and body parts. Join Dr. Kendall Crowns each week as he discusses stories and cases from his over 35-year journey of death from the tornado alley of Kansas, the bloody Memphis shoreline of the muddy Mississippi river, the ultra-violence of Chicago, and finally the Methamphetamine fueled insanity of Texas -- encompassing his days as an autopsy tech, medical student, resident/fellow and finally as a medical examiner. Stories range from humorous to horrifying and cover a wide variety of topics from week to week. You will never know what you will hear, be it courtroom drama, decapitations, gangland shootings, feet with no body, or chihuahuas feasting on the flesh of decomposing bodies. The cases will never end. It will always be different and there is never a dull moment. So, tune in each week and climb aboard, your nightmares will never be the same

Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

Mayhem in the Morgue | In the Water, No One Can Hear You Sweat

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3c26d119-87ea-45f8-8f92-b40f0109bff8/transcript