Monster Energy denies responsibility for death of 14-year-old US girl

The family of Anais Fournier, from Maryland in the US, claim that the high levels of caffeine in the drink overwhelmed her heart and caused her death.

Brand owner, the Monster Beverage Corporation, denies it is “in any way responsible for the death” of the girl and says it intends to “vigorously defend” the lawsuit.

“Tens of billions of energy drinks have been sold and safely consumed in the United States and around the world since 2002,” the company said in a statement.

Media reports in the US and the UK reveal that since 2009 at least four people were reported to have died after drinking Monster. Documents from the US food safety watchdog the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), show other reports of vomiting, heart tremors and chest pain from people who had drunk Monster.

However, an FDA spokesman said that no causal links have yet been established between the deaths and the energy drink.

In the UK, the Food Standard Agency confirmed there are currently no plans to investigate Monster.