A 23-year-old mother tragically passed away after participating in a drinking contest while celebrating her birthday at a nightclub.
María José Ardila, a mother of a 10-month-old baby, was out with friends just days before turning 24. They dined together before heading to the nightclub on October 25, where they engaged in a series of six drinking challenges. These challenges included consuming a double shot of liquor in five seconds, downing shots in five seconds, drinking a beer continuously, taking three shots without hands, consuming a strong spirit called aguardiente for 13 seconds without spillage, and finishing eight shots through a straw.
María, from Cali, Colombia, was at a local nightclub named Sagsa when the tragedy occurred. The group was competing for a prize initially set at £296 (COP 1.5m) but later increased to £395 (COP 2m), according to the victim’s family.
During the final challenge, María managed to finish only three out of the eight shots before collapsing unconscious on the floor, shocking her friends and other club patrons. She experienced convulsions, and despite efforts to get her to a hospital by taxi, no cars stopped to assist. María struggled to breathe for approximately 17 minutes.
Her father, Andrés Ardila, revealed that she developed aspiration pneumonia, leading to a collapsed lung. A friend eventually took her to a nearby hospital, where medical staff resuscitated her three times as she repeatedly lost consciousness.
After spending three days in the ICU, María’s family made the difficult decision to remove her from life support due to irreversible brain damage.
Authorities from the Cali Health Secretariat announced plans to enhance safety measures in commercial establishments and liquor stores following the tragic incident involving alcohol poisoning.
The Sagsa Bar spokesperson expressed deep regret over the events and extended condolences to María’s family, pledging full support and cooperation during this challenging period. An investigation into María’s death is currently underway.
