In a tragic incident, ex-Yankees star Brett Gardener’s son, 14-year-old Miller, died following a sudden illness during a family vacation at a Costa Rican resort. Authorities initially thought the cause of the sudden death was asphyxiation but they ruled out asphyxiation Tuesday as they said after examining the body, it was found that his airways were not obstructed. The twisting update raises many questions about the sudden death, but no foul play is suspected yet.
Authorities earlier warned that finding out the cause of the death could take months as there is a huge backlog in autopsies because of the country’s high murder rate.
Gardner was found dead in a Costa Rican hotel room on Friday while on vacation with his family. His family said in a statement on Sunday that other members of the family had fallen ill alongside their youngest son.
“We have so many questions and so few answers at this point, but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st,” Brett and Jessica Gardner said in their statement.
“Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile,” the boy’s parents added. “He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day.”
“Our hearts are heavy, and the Yankees family is filled with grief,” the team said in a statement. “It wasn’t just Brett who literally grew up in this organization for more than 17 years — so did his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, Hunter and Miller.”
Hotel La Mariposa and Restaurant Le Papillon, where the Gardners dined while on vacation, tried to distance itself from the teen’s tragic death. “In response to misinformation on social media, we would like to clarify that the Gardner family visited our Le Papillon restaurant on Tuesday evening, March 18, three days before Miller’s unfortunate passing,” the eatery said, according to Costa Rican outlet Diario Extra.
