Family sues Kratom manufacturer and retailer after Riverside County mother’s death
MENIFEE, Calif. (KESQ) – Lisa Marie Dominguez still made Valentine’s baskets for her grown children. She loved gardening, rescued animals, and treasured being a grandmother.
“My mom was a super carefree spirit. She was fun. She was like extremely loving,” her daughter, Lauren Dominguez, said.
At 55, Lisa believed she was taking an over-the-counter herbal supplement that made her feel good, according to Lauren. That product was kratom.
“She took it because she said that it made her feel good, and she said it was just an over-the-counter herbal supplement,” Lauren said.
Lauren said she noticed no change in her mother’s behavior. But in July 2025, unanswered calls and text messages began to worry the family. Lauren went to check on her.
“I just opened the door, and instantly I just saw her laying there,” she said.
Lisa was dead.
A family searches for answers
According to the family’s lawsuit, the Riverside County Coroner’s Office determined Lisa’s cause of death was acute mitragynine intoxication. Mitragynine is one of the active compounds found in kratom.
The family’s attorney, Michael Jeandron, said the toxicology and autopsy findings support their claim that kratom caused her death. Earlier reporting by ABC7 also identified chronic alcohol use as a contributing factor in the coroner’s report.
“We wanted more answers after. You know, like we couldn’t believe that that was even the cause,” Lauren said.
Lisa’s three children filed a lawsuit against Hundreds Premium, LLC, doing business as Exotic Blue Magic, and Almond Smoke Shop in Menifee.
The complaint alleges Lisa purchased Exotic Blue Magic kratom capsules at the shop. It alleges unsafe mitragynine levels, inadequate warnings and misleading claims about the product’s safety.
“They’re making it seem like it’s all just a happy, delicious herbal supplement. And they’re not telling the truth,” Jeandron said.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Jeandron said Blue Magic had hired an attorney and contacted him. At the time of the interview, he said the company had not yet filed a formal answer to the lawsuit.
“Blue Magic has responded. They’ve hired a lawyer. They’ve reached out to me,” he said.
What is kratom?
Kratom comes from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain active compounds including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly called 7-OH.
“It’s important to understand that kratom contains a couple of pretty powerful alkaloids,” said Michael Braun, the former chief of operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration distinguishes products containing added or enhanced levels of 7-OH from the trace amounts naturally present in kratom leaf. The agency describes concentrated 7-OH products as potent opioid products and advises consumers to avoid them.
The FDA has also warned against kratom use because of risks including liver toxicity, seizures and substance use disorder.
The Dominguez family’s complaint identifies mitragynine intoxication as Lisa’s cause of death. It does not establish that the capsules she used contained added or enhanced 7-OH.
Braun said consumers should question what is inside products sold with reassuring packaging or claims.
“You’re really playing Russian Roulette because you have no earthly idea, you know, what is contained in that packaging,” he said.
Speaking out after a loss
For Lauren, sharing her mother’s story is about preventing another family from experiencing the same heartbreak.
“You shouldn’t profit from something that causes harm like this,” she said.
Lisa’s birthday brought another painful reminder of her absence. Instead of celebrating over dinner, the family visited her grave.
“My brother took off so we could go to the cemetery when we should be going to dinner,” Lauren said.
This report is the second installment of “Stronger Together: United Against Drug Abuse,” News Channel 3’s 12-part series in partnership with Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse.
Click here to follow the original article.