She was 17, ambitious, and already building a life that stretched beyond her small Texas community. Now, Larissa Rodriguez is gone — and her family believes something as ordinary as an energy drink may have played a role.
Rodriguez, a teenager from Hidalgo County along the southern border of Texas, died on October 20, 2025, after suffering what has been described in court documents as a fatal cardiac event. In the months since her death, her parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging that a popular energy drink — one she consumed regularly — contributed to her collapse.
According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez purchased at least one Alani Nu Energy Drink from H-E-B shortly before she died. The beverage, widely marketed as part of a wellness and fitness lifestyle, contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can — double the amount that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends as a daily limit for teenagers.
Her family’s attorney, Benny Agosto Jr., says Rodriguez had no known pre-existing heart conditions. Toxicology reports, he claims, found no alcohol or drugs in her system — only caffeine.
At some point, something went wrong.
The Hidalgo County Medical Examiner listed her cause of death as cardiomyopathy caused by excessive caffeine consumption, according to the lawsuit. Cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart muscle, can interfere with the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively and, in severe cases, lead to sudden death.
Rodriguez’s story, her attorney says, is tied to something bigger — a culture where wellness, performance, and social media blur together. She first encountered the drink through online posts and influencer marketing, eventually incorporating it into her daily routine. It became part of her life at school, before sports, even in her own social media presence.
“She was enamored by it,” Agosto said.
The lawsuit raises broader concerns about how these products are presented to young consumers. While the cans themselves carry warnings — stating they are not recommended for children or individuals sensitive to caffeine — the family argues that the branding tells a different story. The drink is positioned as clean, healthy, and aligned with an active lifestyle, they claim, without fully conveying the risks associated with concentrated caffeine and other stimulant ingredients.
Among those ingredients, the lawsuit points to taurine and a vaguely described “energy blend,” alleging that the exact quantities are not clearly disclosed to consumers.
Notably, neither the drink’s manufacturer nor its corporate parent has been named as a defendant. Instead, the lawsuit targets the distributors, Glazer’s Beer and Beverage LLC and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas LLC, accusing them of failing to provide adequate warnings. The family is seeking $1 million in damages, though their legal team has not ruled out expanding the case.
In a statement reported by NBC News, Celsius Holdings Inc. said its products comply with federal labeling requirements and that it does not market to individuals under 18.
But for Rodriguez’s family, the legal fight is about more than labels or compliance. It is about a teenager whose life was still unfolding.
She had already earned local titles, including Miss Texas Onion Fest and Junior Miss Weslaco. She had plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and pursue a career in law. Her obituary describes her as compassionate, determined, and full of promise.
Now, her name is part of a lawsuit — and a warning.
In a world where energy drinks are as accessible as soda and marketed as tools for performance and wellness, Rodriguez’s death raises a difficult question: how much is too much, and who is responsible for making sure young people know the difference?
For one Texas family, the answer may come in court.
