Texas beauty queens death at 17 blamed on influencers unreasonably dangerous energy drink: lawsuit
A rising Texas beauty queen’s death is being blamed on the “unreasonably dangerous” amount of caffeine in the energy drinks the teen had consumed in the days and hours before she died suddenly.The family of Larissa Rodriguez is accusing Alani Nu Energy Drinks and the Texas retailer that sold her the beverages of not properly warning the 17-year-old of the dangers of consuming the drink, according to a wrongful death lawsuit viewed by The Post.Rodriguez, a high school senior and co-captain of the varsity cheerleading squad, had suffered a “fatal cardiac event” on Oct.20, 2025, after she consumed at least one 12-ounce can of Alani Nu.Officials ruled she had died from cardiomyopathy — a serious disease of the heart muscles — caused by excessive caffeine consumption.“The Alani Nu Energy Drink was designed and formulated such that it could cause cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and death in consumers, especially children, adolescents, and caffeine-sensitive individuals,” the family argued.The lawsuit, filed in Hidalgo County District Court by Rodriguez’s parents – Jennifer and Roberto — noted that several health organizations unequivocally state that energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and adolescents, with the maximum daily intake for minors being no more than 100 milligrams.Her parents claim the 200 milligrams inside a 12-ounce can of Alani is significantly higher than most soft drinks and other energy drinks on a per-ounce basis, while the can has several design flaws.“Critically, it does not warn against excessive caffeine consumption,” the lawsuit states.A can of Alani Nu has a brief warning on the label saying the beverage is “Not recommended for Children, People Sensitive to Caffeine, Pregnant Women or Women who are Nursing.”“The only cautionary language on the can is printed in small, inconspicuous text that is easily overlooked and wholly inadequate to warn consumers of the serious risks of c...