A family sued Panera Bread after their 21-year-old daughter died after drinking its famous Charged Lemonade.
The lawsuit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, claimed that the beverage, marketed by Panera as a "plant-based and clean" option, is in fact a "dangerous energy drink."
The suit accused Panera of failing to properly warn consumers about the high levels of caffeine in the drink, per NBC News.
According to court documents, the Charged Lemonade contains more caffeine than the combined total in a can of Red Bull and Monster Energy.
The legal action was brought on behalf of 21-year-old Sarah Katz, a student known for her volunteer work as a CPR instructor and her research at a children's hospital.
Katz had a preexisting heart condition known as long QT syndrome type 1, for which her doctors advised her to avoid energy drinks.
Katz tragically died after consuming a Charged Lemonade at a Panera Bread location in Philadelphia on September 10, 2022.
In response to the lawsuit, Panera Bread released a statement: “We were very saddened to learn this morning about the tragic passing of Sarah Katz, and our hearts go out to her family. At Panera, we strongly believe in transparency around our ingredients. We will work quickly to thoroughly investigate this matter.”
Victoria Rose Conroy, Katz's roommate and close friend, described her as meticulous about managing her health, especially regarding her heart condition.
"She was very, very vigilant about what she needed to do to keep herself safe," Conroy shared.
"I guarantee if Sarah had known how much caffeine this was, she never would have touched it with a 10-foot pole."
On the day she died, Katz consumed the beverage before collapsing at a friend’s birthday party.
She was rushed to the hospital, where she suffered another cardiac arrest and later passed away.
This week, the family won their lawsuit against Panera Bread, as reported by BBC News.
Elizabeth Crawford, a partner at Kline & Specter, the law firm representing the plaintiffs in all four lawsuits, confirmed to the BBC that a settlement had been reached, but she was unable to disclose further details.
Crawford had previously stated: "I think everyone thinks lemonade is safe. And really, this isn't lemonade at all. It's an energy drink that has lemon flavor. It should have an adequate warning."
