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Topics: Health, Food and Drink, Real Life, True Life, US News
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Health, Food and Drink, Real Life, True Life, US News
A teenager has tragically died due to an 'enlarged heart', with her family now filing a wrongful death lawsuit after blaming her death on energy drinks.
Larissa Nicole Rodriguez died aged 17 in October 2025, with her family's attorney, Benny Agosto Jr., stating in a press conference last week (8 April) that the family has filed a lawsuit against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, the distributors of energy drink Alani Nu, in Hidalgo County District Court.
The family are seeking $1 million in damages.
According to the attorney, the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined that Larissa’s cause of death was due to 'an enlarged heart due to stress and large amounts of caffeine'.
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NBC News reports that Agosto claimed Alani Nu energy drinks, which Rodriguez, who had no pre-existing heart conditions or heart-related problems, regularly consumed, 'had inadequate warnings about the serious cardiac risks that this product brings'.
Agosto added that a medical examiner found that 'everything was negative' when a medical examiner tested for various drugs in the teen's system.
"Not one trace of alcohol or anything. The only thing she had in her system was caffeine," he said.
The attorney added that the active college-bound student was 'full of life, full of love, smart, academic and with a bright future'.
"Her life was cut short," he said at the press conference.
In a statement to NBC, Celsius Inc., which owns Alani Nu, said that it is 'saddened by this loss, and our thoughts are with the family'.
They added: "We take product safety seriously and believe consumers should have clear information about what they are drinking.
"Alani Nu energy drinks disclose 200mg of caffeine on the can, and the label states the product is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or women who are nursing.
"Our products comply with applicable federal labelling requirements, and our policy is not to market or sample to anyone under 18, consistent with those label warnings."
Agosto said Rodriguez began drinking Alani Nu after seeing it promoted on social media, where the drink was framed around wellness, health benefits and an energy boost.
"First, she got into it because of social media and other social interactions with young people. At some point, she was enamoured by it," he said.
Over the past year, she drank at least one can a day.
"It was very common for her to get up in the morning, go to school and have an Alani or be in sports activities and have an Alani," Agosto said. "We have pictures and videos of her playing sports and her and her classmates, as well as other friends, drinking Alani or other energy drinks."
The lawsuit claims Alani Nu markets heavily to young women and minors through social media, positioning the drink as part of a wellness lifestyle while failing to provide clear warnings, including limits on consumption and potential risks.
Rodriguez was 'fooled that this drink is not a wellness drink, it’s not a get-well drink, it’s causing problems to her heart, which ultimately took her life', Agosto said.
Agosto said the family hopes the case will stop similar tragedies from happening again.
"They lost their only daughter. She was two months from 18," he said. "What, ultimately, they want is that this doesn’t happen to a single child. If they can save one life, that’s what they want. If they can change the industry so that there’s better protections and warnings for kids, that’s what they want.”
Tyla has reached out to Benny Agosto Jr., Alani Nu, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage and the Open Government office associated with the Hidalgo County Medical Examiner for comment.