According to the Food and Drug Administration, Monster Energy Drink, is being investigated for five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack.
Monster Drink comes in 24-ounce cans and contains 240 milligrams of caffeine. That's seven-time more than what's in a 12-ounce cola can. The FDA is investigating a link with these deaths caused since 2009.
The enquiry started when a couple from Maryland pressed charges against Corona Company last week in California. The couple sued the company for negligence and unfair death of their 14-year-old daughter, Anais Fournier.
A spokesman for Monster Beverage said the company was in no way connected to the death of the teen. The company said they were "unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks."
Shelly Burgess, FDA spokeswoman, said in an interview that no conclusion is been made until the investigations are completed. And regarding the incidents reported are still to be considered allegations.
"FDA continues to evaluate the emerging science on a variety of ingredients, including caffeine," Burgess said in an earlier e-mail.
Wendy Crossland and Richard Fournier said in the lawsuit filed last week that their daughter consumed two cans of 24-ounce Monster energy drinks in less than 24-hour period in December.
Anais went into cardiac arrest and never regained after consuming the second can of Monster drink. It was a few hours after the second can of the drink was consumed. Her death was caused by "cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity," according to her autopsy report.
The couple also alleged that the company fails to warn consumers about the risks associated to its drinks.
"The downsides are not printed anywhere on these cans," Alexander R. Wheeler, a Los Angeles attorney representing Anais' parents said. "Her parents want to make sure this never happens to another family."
While the company's spokesman says that the "ingredients and labeling are in full compliance with all laws and regulations governing beverage products in each of the more than 70 countries in which it is sold."
