Alani Lawsuit: Distributor Sued, Motion to Dismiss, Texas Probe

The Alani Nu lawsuit is a wrongful death case filed on April 8, 2026, by the family of Larissa Nicole Rodriguez, a 17-year-old Weslaco, Texas cheerleader who died in October 2025 of cardiomyopathy that a medical examiner attributed to excessive caffeine consumption. The suit was filed in the 370th District Court of Hidalgo County against Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, the Dallas-based distributor that supplied Alani Nu drinks to H-E-B stores in the region, and seeks at least $1 million in damages.¹² A separate Texas Attorney General investigation into Alani Nu’s parent company, Celsius Holdings, followed on June 4, 2026.³

How Larissa Rodriguez Died

Rodriguez collapsed and died on October 20, 2025.⁴ The Hidalgo County Medical Examiner determined the cause was cardiomyopathy, an enlarged and weakened heart, caused by excessive caffeine consumption.⁵ No drugs or alcohol were found in her system, and her family reported no history of heart problems.⁶

According to the family’s attorney, Benny Agosto Jr. of the Houston firm Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, the medical examiner tied the enlarged heart not to a single episode but to Rodriguez’s continuous caffeine intake over the preceding year, during which she had developed a daily habit of drinking Alani Nu.⁶⁷

What the Lawsuit Alleges

The complaint rests on three theories.

The first is defective design. Each 12-ounce Alani Nu can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, double what the American Academy of Pediatrics considers a safe daily maximum for adolescents. The suit also points to ingredients like taurine, L-theanine, and guarana seed extract, arguing they compound the cardiac risks.⁵

The second is inadequate warnings. The can states the drink is “not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women,” but the suit contends the text is small, inconspicuous, and silent on the risk of cardiac injury from habitual use.⁸

The third is deceptive marketing. The complaint accuses Alani Nu of promoting the drinks as a wellness and lifestyle product to young women and minors through social media influencers, bright packaging, and dessert-inspired flavors, without disclosing the caffeine danger to that audience.⁷ The brand’s collegiate ambassador program pays full-time college students in free product, merchandise, and discount codes to post about Alani Nu on social media and run on-campus events.⁹ Reporting by STAT News has described sponsored influencers, including medical students, appearing in videos drinking Alani Nu while studying or training.¹⁰

The plaintiffs also cite a 2023 Canadian Food Inspection Agency recall of Alani Nu energy drinks, which pulled the product from the Canadian market for exceeding the country’s 180-milligram-per-serving caffeine limit and for lacking required bilingual labeling and cautionary statements.¹¹ The family argues the recall put the industry on notice about the product’s risks before Rodriguez’s death.

Why the Distributor Was Sued Instead of Alani Nu

The named defendants are Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, LLC, and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas, LLC. Neither Alani Nutrition LLC nor Celsius Holdings is currently a defendant, though Agosto has said the suit may expand to include additional parties as the investigation continues.¹²

Celsius acquired Alani Nutrition on April 1, 2025, in a deal valued at roughly $1.8 billion, made up of about $1.25 billion in cash, approximately 22.5 million shares of Celsius stock valued at $500 million, and a potential $25 million earn-out.¹³¹⁴ The closing came about six months before Rodriguez’s death.

Glazer’s Motion to Dismiss

Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas denied “each and every allegation” in a May 22, 2026 filing.¹⁵ On June 1, 2026, the distributor filed a 15-page motion to dismiss.¹⁶

Glazer’s argues it is a “non-manufacturing seller” that did not design, formulate, or alter the product, and that the family cannot meet the exceptions required to hold a distributor liable under the Texas Product Liability Act. The motion also states that the manufacturer’s label already warned the product was not for children and that Glazer’s had no actual knowledge of any defect.¹⁶ As an affirmative defense, Glazer’s contends that Rodriguez’s own negligence or misuse of the product contributed to her death.¹⁷ The company further alleges the family sued it specifically to “evade federal diversity jurisdiction” and avoid filing directly against the out-of-state manufacturer.

Agosto called the motion a routine part of the litigation and said the family plans to file an amended petition.¹⁶

Texas Attorney General Investigation

On June 4, 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a state investigation into Celsius Holdings and its subsidiary Alani Nutrition. The investigation is examining whether the companies violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by misleading consumers about the safety of their energy drinks for children and adolescents.³ Paxton’s office pointed to Alani Nu’s colorful packaging, playful design, and what it called “youth-oriented branding strategies that appeal directly to younger consumers,” together with what it described as inadequate age-specific warnings or heart-health disclosures.¹⁸

Paxton referenced Rodriguez’s death directly, saying his office was investigating “to prevent more cases like this one.”¹⁸

Alani Nu and Celsius’s Response

Celsius said it “disagree[s] with the allegations” but is cooperating with the state investigation, and maintains that its policy is not to market or provide samples of energy drinks to anyone under 18.¹⁹ In response to the wrongful death suit, the company called the loss “saddening,” said it takes product safety seriously, and pointed to labeling that discloses 200 milligrams of caffeine per can and states the product is not recommended for children.²⁰

The Federal Regulatory Backdrop

The FDA does not set a legal limit on how much caffeine an energy drink can contain. The agency identifies 400 milligrams per day as generally safe for most adults but has not made a comparable determination for adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 12 to 17 consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine daily, half of what a single Alani Nu can contains.²¹

There are no federal age-related marketing restrictions for energy drinks. The American Beverage Association maintains a voluntary commitment not to market them to children under 13 or sell them in K-12 schools, and many brands voluntarily add “not recommended for people under 18” language to their labels. Poison center calls involving children under 20 who consumed too much caffeine from energy drinks rose more than 20 percent in 2023 over the prior year, and emergency room visits by middle- and high-school students for caffeine-related adverse effects roughly doubled between 2017 and 2023.²¹

Where the Case Stands

As of mid-2026, the wrongful death lawsuit remains in its early stages. Glazer’s motion to dismiss is pending, and the Rodriguez family’s attorneys have indicated they will file an amended petition.¹⁶ The Texas Attorney General’s investigation into Celsius and Alani Nutrition is ongoing, with no subpoenas or enforcement actions publicly announced.¹⁸ Neither Alani Nu nor Celsius Holdings has been added as a defendant, though the family’s legal team has signaled that additional parties could be named as the investigation broadens.¹²

1
ValleyCentral. Parents of Weslaco Cheerleader File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Energy Drink Distributor
2
KTLA. Lawsuit Filed Against Energy Drink Distributor Over Texas Cheerleader’s Death
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Office of the Texas Attorney General. Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Investigation Into Celsius Energy Drink Company
4
Daily Voice. Family Files Alani Nu Lawsuit Over Larissa Rodriguez’s Death
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NewsNation. Weslaco Cheerleader Death Energy Drink Lawsuit
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ValleyCentral. Mother of Weslaco Cheerleader Who Died From Excessive Caffeine Consumption Warns Parents of Energy Drink Risks
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NBC News. Texas Teen’s Death Linked to Caffeine in Alani Nu Energy Drink, Family Alleges
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TODAY. Alani Nu Energy Drink Lawsuit Death Larissa Rodriguez Cardiomyopathy
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Alani Nu. Ambassadors
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STAT News. Energy Drinks Embrace Wellness Branding, Experts Say Obscures Health Risks
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Government of Canada. Various Brands Caffeinated Energy Drinks May Be Unsafe Due to Caffeine Content
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San Antonio Express-News. South Texas Family Sues Alani Over Teen Larissa Rodriguez’s Death
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Celsius Holdings, Inc. Celsius Holdings Completes Acquisition of Alani Nu
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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Celsius Holdings 8-K Filing, April 1, 2025
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NewsNation. Energy Drink Distributor Files Response in Texas Cheerleader Lawsuit
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ValleyCentral. Energy Drink Distributor Files Motion to Dismiss Wrongful Death Lawsuit
17
MySanAntonio. South Texas Alani Nu Death Lawsuit
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KBTX. Texas Opens Investigation Into Celsius, Maker of Alani Nu Energy Drinks, Over Caffeine Levels Marketed to Teens
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Fox 7 Austin. Texas Investigates Celsius, Alani Nu Over Youth Marketing Concerns
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ValleyCentral. Alani Nu Responds to Weslaco Family’s Wrongful Death Suit
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Consumer Reports. Caffeine in Energy Drinks: Risky for Teens