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Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism University of Southern California
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Monster Denies Energy Drink Link to Death of SoCal Teen

Monster takes steps to defend against a lawsuit claiming their energy drinks killed a 14-year-old girl.

Monster Beverage Corporation released on Monday the findings of a group of physicians and a coroner who concluded that the consumption of two Monster Energy Drinks had no connection to the untimely death of a 14-year-old in 2011.

Monster Energy Corp. denied being the cause of Fournier's death (Flickr)
Monster Energy Corp. denied being the cause of Fournier's death (Flickr)

The company asked the group of physicians, including a coroner, to examine the medical records, pathology report, and autopsy report of Anais Fournier after her family filed a lawsuit blaming her death on the consumption of two Monster energy drinks 24 hours apart on the day of and the day before her death.

"The physicians stated conclusively that there is no medical, scientific or factual evidence to support the Maryland Medical Examiner's report of 'Caffeine Toxicity' or that Ms. Fournier's consumption of two Monster Energy Drinks 24 hours apart contributed to, let alone was the cause of her untimely death," said Daniel Callahan, of Callahan & Blaine, one of Monster's lawyers.

Callahan also cited an Institute of Medicine study on caffeine conducted for the U.S. Military that estimated the fatal oral dose of caffeine for a human to be between 10,000 and 14,00 milligrams consumed in one sitting or more than 60 of the 16 oz cans of Monster Energy Drinks.

The examination also revealed that Fournier had been diagnosed with several heart conditions associated with increased risk for cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death, including a heart murmur diagnosed when she was four and a vascular form of connective tissue disease when she was six.

The findings also cited the report of the Pathologist retained by the State of Maryland that noted that Fournier's heart was 60 percent larger than normally expected for a girl her age and size and that concluded her cause of death to be Cardiac Fibrosis, a thickening or scarring of the cardiac tissue.

"Monster is very sorry for the family's loss, but the facts do not support placing the blame of Ms. Fournier's untimely passing on Monster Beverages," said Mr. Callahan.

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