(DailyDig.com) – On October 23, Sarah Katz’s parents filed a lawsuit against Panera Bread, alleging that their daughter’s death was caused by drinking the cafe’s Charged Lemonade. Sarah was a student, aged 21, at the University of Pennsylvania.
Her parents claim she was five when she received a diagnosis of Long QT Type 1 Syndrome (LQT1), a disorder that may lead to potentially fatal arrhythmias by interfering with the heart’s normally regulated electrical activity. Their daughter sought medical attention for her ailment on a regular basis and abided by all recommendations, including avoiding caffeinated and energy drinks.
They said she was aware that Panera Bread was a fast food company that offered healthier options for both kids and adults. One Panera in Philadelphia’s Center City served its Charged Lemonade among various non-caffeinated or low-caffeinated beverages but did not label it as an energy drink or provide any further warnings about its possible negative effects.
According to the lawsuit, Panera lists the lemonade on its menu alongside dark roast coffee, despite the fact that it contains an excessive quantity of caffeine and sugar, without stating that detail. To compare, a big-size Charged Lemonade has more caffeine (390 milligrams) than a large dark roast coffee or 16 ounces of Monster Energy Drink and 12 ounces of Red Bull combined.
The complaint also mentioned the high sugar content of Panera’s product (124 grams in a large), which is more than a 16-ounce Monster Energy Drink and a 12-ounce Red Bull put together; that’s the same as 29.75 teaspoons of sugar.
According to the lawsuit filed on September 10, 2022, Sarah drank Charged Lemonade after deciding it was safe to do so. Later that day, she had a heart attack while out with friends at her apartment’s restaurant. When Sarah was brought to the emergency room, she had a second heart attack and later died.
The Katz family sued Panera for wrongful death, failure to warn, warranty breach, negligence, poor manufacture, misrepresentation, and strict product responsibility.
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