A 17-year-old Texas beauty queen with no health issues died from a cardiac event, and her family is pointing finger at an energy drink brand

Larissa Rodriguez was, by all accounts, a teenager who had everything going for her. The 17-year-old from Weslaco, Texas was a varsity cheerleader, a tennis player, an honor student, and a beauty queen who had been accepted to nearly 20 colleges. She had plans to study law at the University of Texas at Austin. She had no known health problems and did not drink alcohol or use drugs. Then, on October 20, 2025, she died suddenly from a cardiac event.

The Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined that her cause of death was cardiomyopathy, a serious disease of the heart muscle, caused by excessive caffeine consumption. No other substances were found in her system. Her family’s attorney, Benny Agosto Jr., said at a press conference: “There’s no alcohol, there’s no drugs, there’s no fentanyl. There’s no synthetic drugs. The only thing she had in her system was caffeine.”

The family has now filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Hidalgo County District Court against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, the company that distributed Alani Nu to the H-E-B store where Larissa regularly bought them. According to the New York Post, the lawsuit describes the drink as “unreasonably dangerous,” saying its 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can is more than double the 100 milligrams that health experts say is the maximum safe daily amount.

She had no idea how dangerous it could be

The lawsuit also claims the drink contains undisclosed amounts of taurine, L-theanine, and guarana seed extract, stimulants that it says “compound the cardiac risks of the product.” The family says these ingredients are hidden inside a vaguely labeled “Energy Blend” on the can, with no specific amounts listed.

Larissa had been drinking Alani Nu regularly for about a year before her death. According to her attorney, she first got into the drink because of social media posts that marketed it as a wellness and lifestyle product. She eventually began posting about it herself, much like an influencer would. Her homecoming proposal was even Alani-themed.

Her mother, Jennifer Rodriguez, said she knew energy drinks were not ideal for her daughter, but had no idea of the real risks. Many people are similarly unaware of just how much caffeine is packed into popular everyday drinks, including options that are marketed as light or refreshing. “I hope that people out there at least are aware now, and she’ll probably save some lives,” Jennifer said.

Alani Nu is owned by Celsius Inc. and was founded by fitness influencer Katy Hearn. The company released a statement saying it is “saddened by this loss” and that it can already disclose the 200 milligrams of caffeine and carries a label saying the drink is not recommended for children. But the family’s lawsuit argues that this warning is printed in small, hard to notice text and does not go far enough to explain the real cardiac risks involved.

The lawsuit is seeking more than $1 million in damages. It draws a comparison to earlier lawsuits against Panera Bread, whose “Charged Lemonade” was blamed for at least two deaths and faced similar allegations of poor labeling and misleading marketing.

This case also brings to mind the lawsuit against Prime over harmful chemicals in its drinks, another example of a beverage brand popular with young people facing serious legal scrutiny over what is actually inside its products. Glazer’s Beer and Beverage has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. The case is ongoing.