Panera's Charged Lemonade Blamed For FL Man's Death: Lawsuit

FLORIDA — A Florida man died in October after drinking multiple servings of Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade, his family said in a lawsuit, according to multiple reports. The lawsuit is the second linking the beverage to a death.

Dennis Brown, 46, died on Oct. 9 after suffering a "cardiac event" while walking home from a Panera Bread in Fleming Island, according to the wrongful-death lawsuit obtained by The New York Times.

Before his death, Brown had high blood pressure, a developmental delay, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a chromosomal disorder that caused a mild intellectual disability and blurry vision, the Times reported.

In the lawsuit, Brown's family said he did not consume energy drinks because of his high blood pressure, NBC News reported. The lawsuit also claimed Panera “knew or should have known” that the drink could injure people sensitive to caffeine, reports said.

The lawsuit comes just two months after the family of a University of Pennsylvania student filed a similar lawsuit against Panera following her death.

Sarah Katz, 21, died Sept. 10, 2022, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center after drinking a Charged Lemonade at a West Philadelphia Panera location, according to the lawsuit filed by Jill and Michael Katz.

According to the suit, Katz was diagnosed with Long QT Type 1 Syndrome at 5 years old. Long QT Type 1 Syndrome can cause arrhythmia, a disruption of the heart's rhythm and electrical activity.

While Katz had managed her condition for years, including avoiding heavily caffeinated drinks, the suit said Panera's labeling of the "Charged Lemonade" did not properly indicate it was highly caffeinated.

According to the suit, Katz suffered a cardiac arrest after drinking a charged lemonade while with her friends at a restaurant in her apartment building. She was taken to Pennsylvania Presbyterian Hospital, where she had another cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit filed by the Katz family said the caffeine content of Panera's Charged Lemonade ranges from 260 milligrams in 20 fluid ounces (regular size) to 390 milligrams in 30 fluid ounces (large size).

"At 30 fluid ounces, Panera Charged Lemonade exceeds the combined contents of 12 fluid ounces of Red Bull (114 milligrams caffeine) and 16 fluid ounces of Monster Energy Drink (160 milligrams caffeine)," the lawsuit stated.

The Food and Drug Administration says healthy adults can safely consume 400 milligrams of caffeine a day.

Brown consumed multiple Charged Lemonades in the days leading up to his death, according to the lawsuit obtained by NBC News. The lawsuit states the drink was available in self-serve dispensers and "offered side-by-side with all of the store’s non-caffeinated and/or less caffeinated drinks."

According to a death certificate obtained by NBC News, Brown died from cardiac arrest linked to hypertensive disease.

Panera added a warning to the Charged Lemonade on its menu following both deaths. The company's website added a block of warning text, which reads: "Use in moderation. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women. *Contains Allulose: adds a negligible amount of sugar."

In a statement sent to multiple outlets, Panera said the company “stands firmly by the safety of our products.”

“Panera expresses our deep sympathy for Mr. Brown’s family,” the statement said. “Based on our investigation we believe his unfortunate passing was not caused by one of the company’s products. We view this lawsuit, which was filed by the same law firm as a previous claim, to be equally without merit.”