A360
Key Takeaways✦ Atlas AI
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Family sues distributor over teen's death.
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Caffeine overdose cited as cause of death.
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Lawsuit alleges inadequate product warnings.
Atlas AI
A Texas family filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday, April 9, 2026, against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, a distributor of Alani Nu energy drinks, linking the product to the death of 17-year-old Larissa Nicole Rodriguez. The case was filed in Hidalgo County District Court and seeks more than $1 million in damages. The family alleges the energy drink contributed to a fatal medical event after Rodriguez consumed large amounts of caffeine.
According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez died in October, and the Hidalgo County medical examiner determined she had an enlarged heart tied to stress and high caffeine intake. The family’s attorney, Benny Agosto Jr., said Rodriguez had no pre-existing heart conditions. He also said toxicology findings showed caffeine as the only substance detected in her system.
The complaint argues that Alani Nu energy drinks did not provide adequate warnings about potential cardiac risks. The filing points to the product’s stated caffeine content of 200 mg per 12-ounce can and contends consumers were not sufficiently alerted to possible heart-related dangers. The lawsuit targets Glazer’s Beer and Beverage as the distributor named in the case.
In describing caffeine intake benchmarks, the filing references guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA recommends a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine per day for healthy adults and less than 100 mg for children and teenagers aged 12 to 17. The lawsuit’s claims center on whether product warnings and related practices were adequate given those recommendations and the age of the consumer.
Alani Nu is owned by Celsius Inc., which is not currently listed as a defendant in the lawsuit. Celsius said Alani Nu products comply with federal labeling requirements, disclose 200 mg of caffeine per can, and state they are not . The company also said it maintains a policy against marketing or sampling to individuals under 18.
Glazer’s Beer and Beverage had not responded to the lawsuit at the time of the filing details described. The family’s attorney said additional defendants could be added as discovery continues, indicating the scope of the case may change as evidence is gathered and reviewed. Key uncertainties include how much Alani Nu Rodriguez consumed, how warnings were presented to consumers, and what distribution or retail practices may be examined during litigation.
