Texas teen dies of ‘enlarged heart’ caused by ‘large amount of caffeine’ from energy drink, lawyer claims: reports

need to know

• The family of Texas teenager Larissa Nicole Rodriguez filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the distributors of the energy drink Alani Nu on Wednesday, April 8, according to multiple reports.

• They claimed the teenager started drinking the energy drink after seeing social media posts, which advertised the drink’s health benefits and energy boost.

• An attorney for Rodriguez’s family reportedly said the medical examiner determined the teen’s cause of death was “an enlarged heart caused by stress and large amounts of caffeine.”

The family of a Texas teenager has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the distributors of an energy drink company.

Benny Agosto Jr., the attorney representing the family of Larissa Nicole Rodriguez, who died in October 2025 at age 17, announced at a press conference Wednesday, April 8, that her family has filed a lawsuit in Hidalgo District Court against the distributors of energy drink Alani Nu, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage.

Agosto, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage and Alani Nu did not immediately respond to PEOPLE seeking further comment on the case.

At the press conference, Agosto reportedly claimed that the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined that Larissa’s cause of death was “an enlarged heart caused by stress and large amounts of caffeine.”

People submitted a request for additional information to the open government office associated with the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner, but did not immediately receive a response.

Agosto reportedly said that Larissa had been drinking Elani Nu energy drinks — for at least a day — leading up to her death due to social media posts that advertised the drink’s health benefits and energy boost, according to NBC News and Fox 8.

“The medical examiner didn’t say in his report that he died after drinking caffeine that day,” Agosto told local outlet Fox 8. “This is due to constant caffeine consumption.”

Agosto also reportedly said, according to NBC News, that Alani Nu energy drinks “had inadequate warnings about the serious cardiovascular risks posed by this product.”

The cans are labeled as not recommended for children, but the lawsuit — which seeks $1 million in damages — allegedly claims they were marketed and distributed by Glazer’s Beer & Beverage in a manner that ignored the serious cardiovascular risks that excessive caffeine use can cause, according to NBC News, Fox 8 and Per. San Antonio Express News.

“There’s no warning, there’s nothing that says, ‘Hey, if you drink this, you’re overstimulating your heart,'” Larissa Rodriguez’s mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, reportedly said, per Fox 8.

Agosto said the medical examiner’s report showed there were no drugs or alcohol in Larissa’s system at the time of her death and there were no reports of heart problems in her family.

The family’s lawyer described Larissa at a news conference as an “active” teenager who was “full of life” and played tennis and was a cheerleader, adding that she had a “bright future” after being accepted to “about 20 universities”.

“[She was] Sending letters and emails to parents that were accepted by him [go] in college, and his life was cut short,” Agosto said.

Although Alani Nu was not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit, Celsius Inc., which owns the beverage company, told NBC News in a statement that it is “saddened by this 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,” Celsius Inc. told the outlet. “Alani Nu Energy Drinks reveal 200mg of caffeine on the can, and the label says the product is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or nursing women.”

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“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,” they added.

Agosto said more defendants could be added in the future and noted the case was filed to prevent it from affecting other families.

“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,” Agosto said.

Read the original article on People