Indiana mum of two dies after drinking too much water

The family of an Indiana mum of two want to raise awareness after she died from drinking too much water too quickly.

Ashley Summers was vacationing with her husband and two daughters at Lake Freeman to celebrate the US Fourth of July weekend when tragedy struck.

The 35-year-old began complaining of feeling lightheaded and extremely thirsty during the day on Tuesday, July 4.

According to ABC’s WRTV Indianapolis, her brother Devon Miller said she drank four bottles of water in roughly 20 minutes. That equated to around two litres of water.

“That’s what you’re supposed to drink in a whole day,” Miller said in an interview yesterday.

Summers deteriorated that evening after arriving back home and passed out in her garage. She was rushed to hospital but never regained consciousness. Doctors told her family there was swelling on her brain and she died from water toxicity.

“It was a shock to all of us. When they first started talking about water toxicity, it was like this is a thing?” Miller said.

Toxicologist Dr Blake Froberg told WRTV Indianapolis, while rare, water toxicity can be a danger, especially during hot summer months.

“There are certain things that can make someone more at risk for it, but the overall thing that happens is that you have too much water and not enough sodium in your body,” he said.

Symptoms of drinking too much water too fast include, confusion, nausea and vomiting. Severe cases can cause seizures, coma and death.