Texas Teen Dies After Consuming Energy Drink, Family Files $1M Lawsuit Against Alani Nu

A Texas teen's family has accused a popular energy drink brand of her untimely death. Larissa Rodriguez, 17, passed away in October 2025. Her cause of death was determined to be an enlarged heart caused by stress and excessive caffeine consumption.

Rodriguez’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alani Nu, claiming that the company failed to notify consumers about the risks associated with drinking the beverage. Alani Nu contains 200 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce can. While the amount is safe for adults, kids under the age of 18 are advised to limit caffeine intake to 100 mg per day.

“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 lawsuit, filed in Hidalgo County District Court, stated.

Rodriguez was a rising beauty queen and a multi-talented high schooler. According to her family, she was also a cheerleader, a tennis player and an honor student who was gearing up to study law at the University of Texas in Austin.

But according to her family’s lawyer, Benny Agosto Jr., her life was cut short after she started drinking at least one can of Alani Nu every day. Rodriguez had no history of drug or alcohol use. According to the medical examiner, no narcotics were found in her system, and only caffeine was present at the time of her death.

In its defense, Alani Nu has said that though they are saddened by the incident, their 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.”

On the other hand, Rodriguez’s family says the energy drink made young women and minors its target consumers through social media marketing. The lawsuit states that with its colorful packaging and sweet flavors, the brand markets itself as a wellness and lifestyle beverage to teenagers.

According to Agosto, Rodriguez too became obsessed with the drink after watching its advertisements on social media. “First, she got into it because of social media and other social interactions with young people. At some point, she was enamored by it,” Agosto said.

The family argues the brand should have been more transparent about the health risks associated with the drink and should have mentioned it on the packaging. On the other hand, Alani Nu has pointed out that their cans already have labels mentioning that the product is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or women who are nursing.

Rodriguez’s family is seeking over $1 million in damages. They have also named the drink’s distributor, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, as a defendant in the lawsuit, claiming that they continued to supply the drink despite being aware of its health risks.

Alani Nu was founded in 2018 by fitness influencer Katy Hearn. In 2025, the company was acquired by Celsius. This is not the first time the energy drink brand has found itself in trouble due to its caffeine content.

In 2023, several Alani Nu cans were recalled in Canada as the drink exceeded the 180 mg caffeine content limit set by Canadian regulations. The company was also called out for its non-compliance with caffeine labeling at the time.