The family of a Texas teenager is suing a company that distributes Alani Nu energy drinks, linking the drink to the death of Larissa Nicole Rodriguez of Weslaco, Texas.
The lawsuit has many unkind words for the drink, but the suit is aimed at Glazer’s Beer and Beverage and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas, according to NBC News.
Benny Agosto Jr., the attorney for the family, said the distributor was being sued because “they’re the ones that receive it, distribute it and put it all over the place, and they also fail to give any warnings.”
He said it is possible that Celsius Inc., which makes the product, could be added to the suit, which seeks damages in excess of $1 million.
The cause of the 17-year-old’s death “was an enlarged heart due to stress and large amounts of caffeine,” Agosto said.
Agosto said tests were performed on Rodriguez after her death and “everything was negative, not one trace of alcohol or anything. The only thing she had in her system was caffeine.”
Agosto said that 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.
“Her life was cut short,” he said.
Celsius Inc. said it was “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,” the company added.
“Alani Nu energy drinks disclose 200mg of caffeine on the can, and the label states the product is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or women who are nursing,” the statement said. “Our products comply with applicable federal labeling requirements, and our policy is not to market or sample to anyone under 18, consistent with those label warnings.”
Agosto said that Rodriguez often consumed Alani Nu.
Texas beauty queen’s death at 17 blamed on influencer’s ‘unreasonably dangerous’ energy drink: lawsuit https://t.co/YDyQa1vN3n pic.twitter.com/dEZtjdrrXR
— New York Post (@nypost) April 10, 2026
“It was very common for her to get up in the morning, go to school and have an Alani or be in sports activities and have an Alani,” Agosto said. “We have pictures and videos of her playing sports and her and her classmates, as well as other friends, drinking Alani or other energy drinks.”
In 2023, Canada issued a recall for the drink, citing a lack of compliance with caffeine content and labeling.
Rodriguez died on Oct. 20 after consuming a drink, according to the New York Post.
“The Alani Nu Energy Drink was designed and formulated such that it could cause cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and death in consumers, especially children, adolescents, and caffeine-sensitive individuals,” the family said in its suit.
The lawsuit said a can of the drink “does not warn against excessive caffeine consumption.”
“The only cautionary language on the can is printed in small, inconspicuous text that is easily overlooked and wholly inadequate to warn consumers of the serious risks of cardiac injury and death,” the lawsuit said.
“It was defective in its design, unreasonably dangerous, and unsafe for its intended purpose because it did not provide adequate protection and/or warning against the foreseeable risk of cardiac-related injuries and death,” the lawsuit added.
“Alani Nu’s marketing is particularly deceptive because it positions the product as part of a healthy, active lifestyle while concealing the substantial cardiac and neurological risks associated with its concentrated caffeine and stimulant ingredients.”
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