Parents of an Ivy League student have filed a lawsuit against Panera Bread, alleging the restaurant did not adequately disclose the amount of caffeine in its Charged Lemonade drinks, which ultimately led to their daughter’s death. Sarah Katz, 21, was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania when she reportedly purchased one of the drinks in September 2022 and died hours after consuming it.
The lawsuit claims Katz had a heart condition and was reportedly extremely careful not to overindulge in things like caffeine that could affect her heart. The restaurant chain says the incident is under investigation, and Katz’s parents want Panera held accountable to prevent another family from experiencing their heartache.
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Katz had a preexisting health condition.
According to NBC News, Elizabeth Crawford, a partner at the Philadelphia-based law firm Kline & Specter, who is representing the Katz family, said the young woman was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome at the age of 5. The American Heart Association explains that the condition can cause abnormal heart rhythm due to too much stress or exercise. In some cases, the arrhythmia can cause fatal cardiac arrest, as in Katz’s case.
Because of her condition and her desire to help others, Katz worked with SADS (Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes) Foundation to promote awareness about signs of cardiac distress.
“Sarah was a Red Cap ambassador with the American Heart Association (AHA), where she taught CPR in high schools and underserved communities and organized teams for the Wall Street Run & Heart Walk. In recognition of her efforts, Sarah received awards from the AHA in 2013 and 2015,” according to a post on the organization’s Facebook page.
Katz reportedly knew too much caffeine wasn't good for her.
Because of her QT diagnosis, the college student was careful. On the day of her death, September 10, 2022, she reportedly purchased the Charged Lemonade from a Panera restaurant in Philadelphia. According to roommate Victoria Rose Conroy, a close friend, Katz went into cardiac arrest just a few hours later. Conroy said there is no way Katz knew the ingredients in the drink.
“She was very, very vigilant about what she needed to do to keep herself safe,” Conroy said, according to NBC News. “I guarantee if Sarah had known how much caffeine this was, she never would have touched it with a 10-foot pole.”
It appears Katz didn't know, and the lawsuit claims the amount of caffeine in the Charged Lemonade is considerable.
According to the suit, Panera sells its Charged Lemonade drinks alongside other beverages. There was reportedly no posted warning to customers about how much caffeine was in the drinks.
According to the Panera website, a large Charged Lemonade has 390 milligrams of caffeine, NBC News reported. This is reportedly more than any sized coffee drink the restaurant offers. The drink also contains another stimulant, guarana extract, equivalent to 30 teaspoons of sugar.
There have been many discussions about Charged Lemonade on social media.
TikTokers have shared their experiences with Charged Lemonade and the caffeine’s effects on them. Anna, who posts on the app under the handle @vibesupport, posted a now-viral video in May 2022, about the lemonade.
“This is not an ad. This is a warning. This lemonade has 400 milligrams of caffeine in it,” she says in the clip. “Are you kidding me? Not only that, Panera has a promotion right now where you could just go and get it for free – as much as you want. I don’t have enough self-control to handle this amount of access to caffeine.”
Others claimed it “should be illegal,” and others thought they were “gonna have a heart attack.”
Panera issued a statement about Katz's death.
In the statement obtained by NBC News, the restaurant shared, “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.”
“If you’re going to market it that way and know it’s [an] energy drink, how can you not market it that way in the actual store?” Crawford told NBC News. “The reasonable consumer is not going to go onto the website to compare it to see whether or not there’s any additional information.”
