Texas Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit After 17-Year-Old’s Death Is Linked to Popular Energy Drink

Larissa Rodriguez was 17 years old, a rising beauty queen, a varsity cheerleader and tennis player at Weslaco High School, and her school’s student council president. She had no pre-existing health conditions. No drugs or alcohol were found in her system. The only substance the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner identified at Larissa’s autopsy was caffeine.

On October 20, 2025, Larissa suffered a fatal cardiac event after consuming Alani Nu energy drinks in the months, days, and hours leading up to her death. The medical examiner determined her cause of death was cardiomyopathy – an enlarged heart caused by excessive caffeine consumption.

Now her family is fighting back. On April 8, 2026, Larissa’s parents, Jennifer Alicia Rodriguez and Roberto Rodriguez Jr., filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Hidalgo County, Texas, against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, the distributor that supplied Alani Nu energy drinks to the H-E-B store where Larissa purchased them. The family is represented by Managing Partner Benny Agosto Jr., Partner Lena B. Laurenzo, and Sr. Associate Ben Agosto III of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, alongside Damian C. Orozco of Orozco Law Firm.

The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages and raises urgent questions about product safety, marketing ethics, and the lack of regulation protecting minors from dangerously caffeinated beverages.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

The petition filed in Hidalgo County District Court makes several key claims against the Alani Nu energy drink distributor:

Dangerously high caffeine content. A single 12-ounce can of Alani Nu contains 200 milligrams of caffeine – double the 100-milligram daily maximum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for adolescents ages 12 to 17. For comparison, a 12-ounce can of Red Bull contains 114 milligrams, and a standard cup of coffee contains roughly 95 milligrams. One can of Alani Nu delivers more caffeine than either of those, packed into a product marketed to young consumers.

Hidden stimulant ingredients. Beyond the 200 milligrams of caffeine listed on the label, Alani Nu contains undisclosed quantities of taurine, guarana seed extract (which itself contains additional caffeine), L-theanine, Panax ginseng root extract, glucuronolactone, and inositol. These ingredients are hidden within a vaguely described “Energy Blend” that does not specify individual amounts, preventing consumers from understanding their actual stimulant intake.

Inadequate warnings. The only cautionary language on the can states: “Not recommended for children under 18, those sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women.” This small-print warning fails to disclose that the product can cause cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, or death. It does not include a maximum daily consumption limit. It does not warn about the combined effects of its multiple stimulant ingredients. There are more warnings on Alani Nu energy drink cans sold in other countries, such as Canada.

Deceptive marketing to minors. Alani Nu, founded by fitness influencer Katy Hearn, is marketed as a “better-for-you” wellness and lifestyle beverage. The brand targets young women heavily through Instagram and TikTok, using pastel-colored cans, candy-inspired flavor names like “Cherry Slush,” “Cosmic Stardust,” and “Rocket Pop,” and taglines referencing “natural glow,” “B vitamins,” and “zero sugar.” The lawsuit alleges the company even recruits young influencers to promote the product on social media and provides them with free product.

“This is a heartbreaking and entirely preventable tragedy,” said Managing Partner Benny Agosto Jr. “No family should have to bury their child because of a product that was aggressively marketed as safe while failing to adequately warn about its dangerous effects. Companies have a responsibility to protect consumers – especially young people, and we intend to hold them accountable.”

Why This Case Matters: A Growing Public Health Crisis

This is not the first time a popular caffeinated beverage has been linked to a consumer death. In 2023, Panera Bread faced multiple wrongful death lawsuits over its “Charged Lemonade,” which contained up to 390 milligrams of caffeine per serving, was displayed alongside non-caffeinated beverages, and was linked to at least two deaths. Panera settled those lawsuits and discontinued the product in May 2024.

The parallels are striking. Both products contained dangerously high levels of caffeine combined with other stimulants. Both were positioned alongside everyday beverages, blurring the line

between a standard drink and a potent stimulant. Both lacked adequate warnings about cardiac risks. And in both cases, the victims were young, otherwise healthy individuals.

The energy drink industry in the United States reached nearly $27 billion in sales in 2025, an increase of roughly 80 percent over five years. Yet the FDA has not established a safe caffeine level for children or adolescents and does not regulate energy drinks as strictly as it does other food and drug products. This regulatory gap has allowed companies like Alani Nu to market concentrated stimulant beverages to minors without meaningful oversight. This is especially alarming when these same companies have knowledge of risks associated with the chronic use of their product, but fail to warn or make the product safer on their own.

In August 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a safety warning for Alani Nu energy drinks due to non-compliant caffeine content and labeling and advised Canadians not to drink, sell, or distribute the product. No equivalent regulatory action has been taken in the United States.

A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that energy drinks combining caffeine with ingredients such as taurine and guarana caused abnormal heart rhythms and prolonged elevated blood pressure in ways distinct from caffeine consumption alone – suggesting these products carry unique cardiac risks that are neither adequately studied nor disclosed to consumers.

What Parents Should Know About Energy Drinks and Teens

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine have all stated unequivocally that energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents.

Key facts every parent should understand:

· There is no established safe level of caffeine for children. The AAP recommends adolescents ages 12 to 17 consume no more than 100 milligrams per day. A single can of Alani Nu contains double that amount.

· Energy drinks are not just caffeine. They contain a cocktail of stimulant compounds whose combined effects on the cardiovascular system are not fully understood and are not adequately disclosed on labels.

· Wellness branding can be misleading. Products marketed with terms like “zero sugar,” “B vitamins,” and “natural glow” may look healthy on the surface while containing dangerous levels of stimulants.

· Energy drinks are sold without age restrictions in most U.S. states, and they are often placed alongside soft drinks and sports drinks in grocery and convenience stores.

· Symptoms of caffeine overconsumption include rapid heartbeat, chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea, and anxiety. If your child experiences any of these symptoms after consuming an energy drink, seek medical attention immediately.

About Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner

Founded in 1951, Abraham Watkins is the oldest personal injury law firm in Texas and one of the most respected trial firms in the nation. The firm’s attorneys are led by board-certified trial lawyers – a distinction held by only 2% of attorneys in Texas – and have decades of experience holding corporations accountable for defective and dangerous products.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by an energy drink or any dangerous consumer product, contact Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner for a free consultation at (713) 222-7211 or visit abrahamwatkins.com.

FREE CASE EVALUATION: If you believe you or someone you know has been harmed by Alani Nu energy drinks or another dangerous consumer product, contact our legal team today. Call (713) 222-7211 or visit abrahamwatkins.com.