Child ‘killed by energy drink’
Energy drink company faces lawsuit after a child dies of ‘caffeine toxicity’
By Scott Dunlop
Pic: Shutterstock
Article originally in
Parent24
Energy drink company Monster is facing a battle in court to prove that their popular energy drink wasn’t behind the death of a 14-year-old girl, reports Bloomberg.
Monster 'linked to 5 deaths'
This is just one of the findings of the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, who have announced that Monster Beverage Corp. has been cited in the deaths of five people in the past year alone, according to the report. The cited reports are considered only as allegations, not proof, says the FDA, that the caffeine content of the energy drink directly contributed to the deaths of the individuals concerned.
For the parents of one 14-year-old girl, however, the reports are being used as the basis of their court case against Monster, as the girl allegedly died of “cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity” (autopsy report) after consuming just two cans of the energy drink.
Apparently, emergency room visits due to complications resulting from caffeine toxicity have increased massively- ten-fold in the years 2005-2009 alone. More than half of these visits are by young people, and are often complicated by co-use of drugs and alcohol.
No disclosure?
Energy drinks such as Monster and Red Bull are not required by the FDA guidelines to disclose the levels of caffeine in their products, as they are often sold as dietary supplements. This could possibly change, as energy drink manufacturers come under pressure to disclose caffeine quantities as well as carry health warnings. Monster is refuting the claims.
For the parents of the 14-year-old, though, getting caffeine quantities disclosed on energy drinks is not going to take away their hurt.
“It’s the first wrongful death case involving a minor child against an energy drink company that I’m aware of,” the parent’s lawyer said.
Do you allow your kids to drink energy drinks?