Family Sues Energy Drink Distributor in U.S. After 17-Year-Old Daughter's Death

The family of Larissa Rodríguez, a 17-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Glazer's Beer and Beverage, the distributor of Alani Nu energy drink. This legal action follows the tragic passing of the teenager in October 2025 due to a fatal cardiac event, as reported by Telemundo.

Larissa was in her senior year at Weslaco High School, where she was a cheerleader and served as president of the student council. She aspired to study law at the University of Texas and was just two months shy of her 18th birthday when she passed away.

The Heartbreaking Findings

The Hidalgo County medical examiner identified the cause of death as cardiomyopathy induced by excessive caffeine intake. The autopsy revealed her heart was enlarged, and she had high levels of caffeine in her system.

Benny Agosto Jr., the family's attorney, noted the unexpected nature of the forensic findings: "The lawsuit emerged because it was discovered that she had no prior heart issues, and the forensic report caught everyone off guard. The only issues found were an enlarged heart, known as cardiomegaly, and an excess of caffeine in her body."

Alani Nu's Role in the Tragedy

The lawsuit alleges that Larissa regularly consumed Alani Nu during the last year of her life and had purchased one or more cans from an H-E-B store in Hidalgo County shortly before her death.

The energy drink was so popular among her peers that a classmate used a can to ask her to the homecoming dance, with the message: "Hope you have the energy to go to homecoming with me."

Each 12-ounce can of Alani Nu contains 200 mg of caffeine, which is double the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended daily limit of 100 mg for teenagers aged 12 to 17.

Labeling Concerns and Marketing Tactics

According to ABC, the lawsuit claims that the product labels only mentioned in small print that it was not recommended for minors, without specifying a daily consumption limit or warning about the effects of mixing stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, and ginseng.

Larissa's mother expressed her frustration: "The bottle says not recommended, but it doesn't say you can't drink it. It says children. My daughter was 17, two months away from turning 18."

The lawsuit also accuses Glazer's of promoting a "wellness-focused" marketing strategy that encouraged excessive consumption among young people.

The Broader Debate on Energy Drinks

A doctor consulted by Telemundo warned about the dangers of these beverages: "Many energy drink contents equate to four or five cups of coffee in a single serving, and we don't consume them all at once."

Glazer's Beer and Beverage expressed sorrow over the young woman's death but stated they could not comment due to the ongoing litigation.

This case highlights a larger debate on the regulation of energy drinks in the United States, where the Food and Drug Administration lacks specific rules limiting caffeine levels in such beverages.

Emergency room visits by teenagers due to adverse caffeine effects doubled nationwide between 2017 and 2023, and calls to poison control centers about caffeine in individuals under 20 increased by more than 20% in 2023.

There are similar precedents: in 2012, the family of Alex Morris, a 19-year-old from California who consumed two cans of Monster Energy daily, sued after his death from cardiac arrest; and a family in Maryland did the same after their 14-year-old daughter died from a similar cause.

Larissa's mother hopes the lawsuit serves as a warning: "If this can help families understand that this is indeed harmful and powerful. My daughter is helping and honoring the young woman who dreamed of becoming a lawyer."