The family of a 17-year-old Texas cheerleader has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against a distributor of the popular energy drink, alleging that the teenager died of a heart attack caused by an overdose of caffeine.
Larissa Nicole Rodriguez, a college-bound high school student in Weslacom, Texas, died in October. Her family’s attorney, Benny Agosto Jr., said at a news conference Wednesday that the Hidalgo County medical examiner’s cause of death was “an enlarged heart caused by stress and large amounts of caffeine.” Hidalgo County did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Agosto said the Alani Nu energy drink, which Rodriguez often drinks, “had inadequate warnings about the serious heart attack this product could cause.” The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Hidalgo County District Court, includes the allegations and seeks more than $1 million in damages. The family did not respond to requests for comment.
Rodriguez had no prior heart conditions or heart problems, Agosto said. He said the medical examiner tested for numerous drugs and that “everything was negative, no trace of alcohol or anything. He just had caffeine in his system.”
Agosto said Rodriguez was “full of life, full of love, smart, academic and with a bright future” and that she was an active teenager who played tennis and was a cheerleader.
“His life was cut short,” he said at a news conference surrounded by his parents and other relatives.
Larissa Nicole Rodriguez has a can of Alani Nuco, an energy drink with 200 milligrams of caffeine. (Salinas Funeral Home)
(Salinas Funeral Home)
The family is suing distributors Glazer’s Beer & Beverage and Glazer’s Beer & Beverage Texas. The company distributes the beverages in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, according to its website.
Glazer’s Beer & Beverage did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Celsius Inc., which owns Alani Nu, said in a statement that “it is saddened by the loss, and our thoughts are with the family. We take product safety seriously and believe consumers should have clear information about what they are drinking.”
“Alani Nu Energy Drinks discloses 200 mg of caffeine in caffeine, and the label states that this product is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or nursing women,” the statement said. “Our products comply with applicable federal labeling requirements, and our policy is not to market or sample to anyone under the age of 18, consistent with those label warnings.”
Celsius, which completed its acquisition of Alani Nu for $1.8 billion in April 2025, is not a defendant in the lawsuit.
Agosto said the lawsuit was filed against the beverage distributor because “they are the ones who receive it, distribute it and put it all over the place, and they fail to even give any warning.” He said in an interview Thursday that as the investigation into the case continues, more defendants will be added, which could include Celsius.
Alani Nu Energy Drink is 12 fluid ounces and contains 200 mg of caffeine, the same as a 12-ounce can of Celsius. According to Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended total daily maximum amount of caffeine for healthy adults is 400 mg, and children and adolescents ages 12 to 17 should have less than 100 mg of caffeine per day.
Alani Nu’s beverages contain a higher concentration of caffeine than some other popular energy drinks on the market. By comparison, the labels say an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull Energy Drink contains 80 mg of caffeine, and a 17-ounce can of Monster contains 160 mg.
Agosto said Rodriguez started drinking Alani Nu because of social media posts touting its wellness and health benefits, as well as energy boosts.
“Earlier, she got into it because of social media and other social interactions with youngsters. At some point, she became fascinated by it,” he said. Eventually, she went on to post about the product like influencers do.
Alani No, an energy drink. (Alani Nu/Amazon)
(alani no)
In the last year, he started drinking at least one Alani Nu a day, sometimes more, he said.
“It was normal for him to wake up in the morning, go to school and have Alani or go to a sports activity and have Alani,” Agosto said. “We have pictures and videos of him playing sports and of him and his classmates, as well as other friends, drinking Alani or other energy drinks.”
The lawsuit alleges that Alani Nu targets its marketing to young women and minors through social media and that it advertises the drink as a healthy and lifestyle drink, but it says the drink lacks proper warnings, including consumption limits and potential dangers.
Agosto said the Alani Nu energy drink was such a part of Rodriguez’s life that an image of the product was featured on an invitation to the school’s homecoming event, saying, “Hope you have the energy to go home with me.”
Rodriguez “was fooled into thinking that this drink was not a healthy drink, that it was not a good drink. … It was causing problems with his heart, which eventually took his life,” Agosto said.
In 2023, the Canadian government issued a recall for Alani Nu, citing non-compliance related to caffeine content and labeling issues.
Agosto said the family’s hope with the lawsuit is to prevent this tragedy from affecting other families.
“They lost their only daughter. She was 18 years and two months old,” he said. “Ultimately what they want is for this not to happen to a single child. If they can save one life, that’s what they want. If they can change the industry so that there are better protections and warnings for children, that’s what they want.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
