Dr. Bronner’s, the Vista-based soap company, has settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of former employee Denise Lozano, who died of an accidental overdose in December 2022. The suit alleged the company fostered a risky culture of drug use among some leaders and employees, which led to Lozano’s death.
Why it matters
Over the last 77 years, Dr. Bronner’s has grown into a powerhouse brand known for embracing progressive causes.
In recent years, the company took its advocacy to a new level by openly supporting psychedelic drug use for medicinal purposes. In early 2022, Dr. Bronner’s began offering employees ketamine-assisted mental health therapy through its health benefits package.
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As KPBS reported in February, a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Lozano family cast the company’s embrace of psychedelic drugs in a dark light.
Lozano worked on the company’s events and promotions team, known as the Foamy Homies.
The family’s lawsuit alleged David Bronner, the company’s CEO (“Cosmic Engagement Officer”), and his wife Mia Bronner arranged for Lozano to receive a ketamine-assisted massage to alleviate her back pain from a work-related injury.
The lawsuit claimed Lozano died after the masseuse gave Lozano a lethal dose of MDA, a drug similar to ecstasy. The county medical examiner’s autopsy report obtained by KPBS determined Lozano had died from an MDA overdose; the report found no ketamine in her system.
Dr. Bronner’s denied any involvement in arranging the ketamine massage and emphasized that the massage had no connection to the company’s official ketamine-assisted mental health therapy program.
Closer look
The lawsuit has now been “resolved,” according to a joint statement from the company and Lozano family.
“Neither David nor Mia Bronner recommended that Denise receive a ketamine massage,” the joint statement reads. “The Lozano and Bronner families have now resolved the legal case amicably, and the lawsuit against the Dr. Bronner’s company, as well as its CEO, and other employees, will be dismissed.”
A spokesperson for Dr. Bronner’s and the attorney for the Lozano family declined interview requests, citing the terms of the settlement. The joint statement did not state the dollar amount of the settlement.
No documents associated with the settlement have been uploaded to the San Diego County Superior Court’s website. The Lozano family will continue to pursue its lawsuit against Christian Allbert, the self-described “energy healer” who allegedly gave Lozano the massage on the day she died.
Kelly McKay, a spokesperson for the Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego Field Division, told KPBS the agency has closed its investigation into Allbert and his alleged connection to Lozano’s death. McKay said there is no pending prosecution against Allbert in the case and she is not aware of any open investigations by other law enforcement agencies.
