AUSTIN, Texas — The parents of Brianna Aguilera, a Texas A&M student who died after attending a tailgate for a football game in Austin in November, have filed a $1 million wrongful death lawsuit against two organizations for allegedly serving her alcohol.
According to the lawsuit, Aguilera had attended a tailgate hours before her death that was hosted by the UT Latin Economics and Business Association (ULEBA) at the Austin Blacks Rugby facility in East Austin. The lawsuit alleges the two organizations served Aguilera alcohol despite her being underage, saying the 19-year-old became “grossly intoxicated” and needed help walking and standing at times.
“Brianna’s senseless death is the direct result of Defendants’ providing a minor with alcohol and overserving her to the point of extreme intoxication,” the lawsuit says.
Aguilera’s parents, Stephanie Rodriguez and Manuel Aguilera, are plaintiffs in the case; ULEBA and the Austin Blacks Rugby Club are listed as defendants.
The lawsuit says defendants were responsible for the conduct of employees and the serving of alcohol. It also claims negligence and damages including grief, bereavement, torment and mental anguish for Aguilera’s parents.
Aguilera was pronounced dead at 12:56 a.m. on Nov. 29. Police responded to a call of a deceased person outside of the 21 Rio apartment complex, saying Aguilera sustained trauma consistent with having fallen from a higher floor.
The Austin Police Department ruled her death a suicide, saying they recovered a suicide note that was deleted Nov. 26 and knew of suicidal comments Aguilera had allegedly been making to friends.
The cause of and events leading up to Aguilera’s death have been called into question by her family and their lawyer, Tony Buzbee. The Houston attorney is known for taking high profile cases, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial and representing victims of the Astroworld crowd surge.