The family of a Texas teenager has filed a $1 million wrongful death lawsuit against the primary distributor of Alani Nu energy drinks, alleging that the product’s high caffeine content triggered a fatal cardiac event in the 17-year-old student-athlete.
Attorney Benny Agosto Jr., representing the estate of Larissa Nicole Rodriguez, announced the legal action against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage during a Wednesday press conference. The lawsuit, filed in Hidalgo County District Court, contends that the distributor failed to provide adequate warnings regarding the severe cardiac risks associated with the beverage’s consumption by minors.
Rodriguez, a cheerleader and tennis player with no reported history of heart disease, died in October 2025. According to Agosto, the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was an enlarged heart resulting from “stress and large amounts of caffeine.”
Toxicology reports confirmed that no drugs or alcohol were present in the teenager’s system at the time of her death.
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“The medical examiner did not say in her report that she died because she drank caffeine that day,” Agosto clarified. “It’s because of the continuous drinking of caffeine.”
The family alleges that Rodriguez began consuming at least one Alani Nu daily—containing 200mg of caffeine per 12-ounce can—after being influenced by social media marketing that highlighted the drink’s purported health and energy benefits.
The core of the investigative filing focuses on marketing and labeling practices. While Alani Nu cans include a disclaimer stating the product is not recommended for children, the lawsuit argues these warnings are insufficient to alert consumers to the potential for lethal “overstimulation” of the heart.
“There’s no warnings, there’s nothing on there that says, ‘Hey, if you drink this, you’re going to be overstimulating your heart,’” said Jennifer Rodriguez, the victim’s mother.
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Celsius Inc., the parent company of Alani Nu, issued a statement expressing sympathy for the family but defended its labeling standards. The company maintained that its products comply with all federal regulations and that its policy prohibits marketing to individuals under 18.
“Alani Nu energy drinks disclose 200mg of caffeine on the can, and the label states the product is not recommended for children,” the company stated.
The lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny of the energy drink industry’s impact on adolescent health. Agosto indicated that the legal team may add further defendants as discovery proceeds. The Rodriguez family maintains that their primary objective is to force industry-wide transparency to prevent future tragedies.
Before her death, Rodriguez had been accepted into nearly 20 universities, according to her family.
