The parents of a teen girl who died after drinking Panera's "Charged Lemonade" say the pain is "deep" after the company recently announced the removal of the series of highly-caffeinated drinks from its menu.
Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student with a heart condition, died in September 2022, after the beverage allegedly sent her into cardiac arrest, twice.
"The pain is just so hard and so deep," Jill Katz, Sarah's mom, said in an interview with ABC's Nightline earlier this week.
"It's not something you get better from. Some people say oh time is all healing. It's not. There's no healing. It's just acclimation," the grieving mom said.
"It's so many mixed emotions," her husband, Michael Katz, explained.
"There are no more photos. There are no more memories. It's the memories that we have. And luckily, we're very fortunate. We've got so many wonderful, incredible memories."
At the age of 5, Sarah was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome type 1, a heart condition that causes the potassium ion channels to malfunction, leading to heart arrhythmias.
Because of this, her parents said she typically avoided caffeine.
After realizing Sarah consumed a Charged Lemonade from Panera, the Katzes filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the fast-food chain, alleging the company failed to properly warn consumers of its dangerously high caffeine content — more than the 111 mg of caffeine found in a 12-ounce can of Red Bull, or the 100 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
According to Panera's nutritional postings, its Charged Lemonades contain 155-302 mg of caffeine.
The company posted a warning about them, stating: "Consume in moderation. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women."
The family of a Florida man who died after allegedly drinking three Charged Lemonades has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company. According to the Associated Press, David Brown, 46, ordered seven of the drinks in a two-week span before he died.
Panera has denied any wrongdoing.
