Family of Weslaco teen fights to keep Alani Nu energy drink lawsuit alive in appeals court
The family of a Weslaco teen who died after drinking Alani Nu energy drinks is fighting to keep their lawsuit alive against the beverage distributors who supplied the product.
The lawsuit is currently paused as the 13th Court of Appeals reviews the case.
As previously reported, Larissa Rodriguez died in October 2025 from an enlarged heart, which the coroner's report attributed to stress and "a large amount of caffeine" after she consumed Alani energy drinks.
READ MORE: Weslaco High School cheerleader died of enlarged heart from energy drink consumption, attorney says
Her family filed the wrongful death lawsuit against distributors Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, LLC, and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas, LLC.
During a July 23 hearing, a Hidalgo County judge allowed the lawsuit to move forward, prompting the distributors to appeal for a dismissal.
Glazer's has argued it only distributed the drinks and did not design, manufacture, or label them.
According to a response to the appeal filed on Tuesday by attorneys representing Larissa’s family, the distributors knew the drinks were dangerous for minors but kept selling them anyway.
Each 12-ounce can of Alani Nu contains 200 milligrams of caffeine — twice the daily maximum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for children ages 12 to 17, according to the response.
The drinks also contain taurine, an amino acid not listed in specific quantities on the label. According to the lawsuit, taurine amplifies the stimulatory effects of caffeine and has been linked to cardiovascular problems.
“[The distributors] were acutely aware that the warning on Alani Nu energy drinks was inadequate to prevent minors from consuming the dangerous product: Larissa—a minor—consumed Alani Nu energy drinks, and relators recruited her to be their brand ambassador,” the response states. “[Glazer's] request that this court ignore their own direct promotion of these dangerous products to minors — and specifically to Larissa herself — should be rejected.”
The family's legal team says the distributors had multiple reasons to know the product was dangerous. In August 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a public safety warning specifically about Alani Nu energy drinks, citing non-compliant caffeine content and labeling.
The lawsuit also claims the distributors actively recruited the teenager to serve as a brand ambassador for the drinks they distributed. The family's attorneys argue that by doing so, the companies had direct knowledge that a minor was consuming a product they knew carried serious health risks.
Glazer's Beer and Beverage filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing the family had not adequately proven the companies knew about the product's dangers. A trial court in Hidalgo County denied that motion.
A hearing on the appeal was not set as of Thursday evening.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LARISSA RODRIGUEZ'S MOTHER EXPLAIN WHY THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED
More News
