Texas Cheerleader's Family Sues Energy Drink Distributor Over Caffeine-Linked Death

Larissa Nicole Rodriguez had been accepted to 20 colleges, was student council president at Weslaco High School, and was preparing to cheer at homecoming when she died on October 25, 2025. Now, her parents are asking a Hidalgo County court to hold accountable the company that put the drink in her hands.

The parents of Larissa Rodriguez filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a beverage distributor in Hidalgo County. Rodriguez, a Weslaco High School cheerleader and student council president, died at the age of 17 in October 2025. She had been accepted to 20 colleges, including the University of Texas at Austin, and was the only daughter of Jennifer A. Rodriguez and Roberto Rodriguez Jr.

The lawsuit, filed in Hidalgo County court, claims Rodriguez bought and drank one or more Alani Nu Energy Drinks from an H-E-B store, which were distributed and supplied to H-E-B by Glazer's Beer and Beverage, LLC, on or about October 20, 2025. Following her consumption of those drinks, Rodriguez suffered a fatal cardiac event. The Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined that her cause of death was cardiomyopathy caused by excessive caffeine consumption.

Each Alani Nu can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, more than twice the amount found in an average cup of coffee, along with several other ingredients that allegedly "amplify" the effects of caffeine. According to the lawsuit, Glazer's failed to warn consumers that the 200mg of caffeine per 12-ounce can exceeds the recommended daily intake of 100mg of caffeine per day for adolescents, as cited in a 2024 article by Johns Hopkins Medicine. The family's attorney stated that "the only thing she had in her system was caffeine," with the coroner finding no alcohol or other harmful substances.

The lawsuit reads: "The only cautionary language on the can — 'Not recommended for children under 18, those sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women' — 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 also claims Alani Nu knowingly targets young women through a network of influencers who promote the drinks as a "better-for-you wellness and lifestyle beverage" without adequate warnings about the dangers of high caffeine doses.

The family is seeking $1 million in damages. Attorney Benny Agosto Jr., a managing partner at Abraham Watkins, called the case "a heartbreaking and entirely preventable tragedy," adding: "No family should have to bury their child because of a product that was aggressively marketed as safe while failing to adequately warn about its dangerous effects. Companies have a responsibility to protect consumers, especially young people, and we intend to hold them accountable."

Celsius Inc., which owns Alani Nu, said in a statement that it is "saddened by this loss" and that it "takes product safety seriously and believes consumers should have clear information about what they are drinking." The company noted that Alani Nu energy drinks disclose 200mg of caffeine on the can and that the label states the product is not recommended for children. Glazer's Beer and Beverage did not respond to requests for comment.

The FDA recommends that adults consume no more than 400mg of caffeine a day, while medical experts advise against energy drinks for children and teens because excessive caffeine can cause increased heart rate, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure. The Rodriguez case echoes similar wrongful death litigation previously brought against Panera Bread over its high-caffeine Charged Lemonade, raising fresh questions about how aggressively caffeinated beverages are marketed to minors and whether existing label warnings are legally and medically sufficient.