A tragic incident occurred at a local nightclub in Cali, Colombia, where a 23-year-old mother lost her life after participating in a drinking challenge during her birthday celebration. María José Ardila, a mother of a 10-month-old baby, was with friends at the nightclub engaging in a series of drinking challenges. The challenges included consuming various alcoholic beverages quickly, with the final challenge involving drinking multiple shots through a straw.
María reached the sixth challenge but struggled to finish all the shots, expressing distaste for the last one before collapsing unconscious. Her friends attempted to get her to a hospital but faced difficulties securing transportation. María experienced convulsions and difficulty breathing, leading to a medical emergency.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors made multiple resuscitation attempts as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Tragically, María’s condition worsened, resulting in brain death. Her family eventually made the heartbreaking decision to remove her from life support.
Following this unfortunate incident, health authorities in Cali announced plans to conduct inspections at commercial establishments and off-licences to ensure the safe sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in the city. The nightclub where the incident occurred expressed deep regret and offered condolences to María’s family, pledging full cooperation with the investigation into the matter.
The investigation into María’s death is still ongoing as authorities seek to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.