[JBC77]

2:04 pm MST January 7, 2008

SANTA FE, N.M. -- A woman drowned when she apparently tried to retrieve a kitten from a 55-gallon rain barrel at her home southeast of Santa Fe.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano said 48-year-old Deborah Hill was found by her husband Sunday afternoon after he returned home from running errands. Solano said the couple had dragged the plastic barrel inside their home because they wanted to thaw ice that had formed in the barrel.

The barrel, which Solano said was tied to a door so it wouldn't tip, was about one-third full of water when the kitten fell in. Solano said Hill apparently was standing on something to reach down for the kitten when she slid in.

Detectives said it's likely she drowned and the kitten climbed out over her.

[Doug]

at least she saved the kitty.

[pico]

another crazy cat woman story...

[pavyracer]

She must have been a really petite woman to drown in 55 gal of water. 55 gal weighs about 458.7 lbs. If the drum was completely full, propaply 5-10 lbs less depending on the weight of the cat inside the drum, by the boyancy law of my buddy Archimedes she should have disposed equal amount of water to her weight once fallen in the drum. Then if she stood up in the water her head should would have been above the water level. Most likely she died from head trauma because she was knocked unconscious and not from drowning.

[bbyhill]

She must have been a really petite woman to drown in 55 gal of water. 55 gal weighs about 458.7 lbs. If the drum was completely full, propaply 5-10 lbs less depending on the weight of the cat inside the drum, by the boyancy law of my buddy Archimedes she should have disposed equal amount of water to her weight once fallen in the drum. Then if she stood up in the water her head should would have been above the water level. Most likely she died from head trauma because she was knocked unconscious and not from drowning.

slipped in head first and was stuck and couldn't get out

[chano]

The husband did the job just before he went out to run his errands

[2Pac]

Anyone know of the Darwin Awards?

They're given to people who kill themselves (inadvertently, of course) in the dumbest ways.

This may be on there

[pavyracer]

Actually she could have been alive if she was more than 400 lbs. She would have disposed all the water in the drum and therefore wouldn't drown if she survived the original fall.