No Crash Later?

As energy drinks have grown in popularity in recent years, so too have a multitude of questions surrounding their safety. Indeed, the scrutiny came to a head on Oct. 17, 2012, when the parents of 14-year-old Anais Fournier filed a lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corporation, the maker of Monster Energy Drinks, alleging that their daughter died as a result of consuming its product, the nation's best-selling energy drink. Crossland v. Monster Beverage Corp., Case No. RIC 1215551 (California Superior Court Oct. 17, 2012).  On December 17, 2011, after consuming two 24-ounce cans of Monster Energy in approximately 24 hours, Fournier went into cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital where she was placed in an induced coma. She died on December 23, 2011 after the decision was made to terminate life support. According to Fournier's death certificate, she died as a result of "cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity complicating mitral valve regurgitation in the setting of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome."