Investigation underway into the death of Miller Gardner, son of Brett Gardner
More than two months after the death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, Costa Rican authorities are keeping the investigation open. Prosecutors are determining whether the cause of death will be classified as homicide. Gardner died on March 21st at a resort in Costa Rica, where he was with his family. At the end of March, a representative of the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) of Costa Rica confirmed that investigators believed the death was accidental and not the result of a criminal act. On April 2nd, the authorities reported that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. Since then, the case remains open, according to a spokesperson for the Costa Rican prosecutor’s office in charge of the case. Sharon Hernández Coto, press officer of the Prosecutor’s Office of Costa Rica, representing the Quepos and Parrita headquarters, indicated that the authorities seek to “determine whether the cause of death was a homicide or not, and, if so, establish responsibilities”.Hernández Coto explained that each case is handled individually and that there is no defined deadline for the conclusion of the investigation. He reiterated that the case is under investigation and added: “…the objective is to determine if it was a natural or homicidal death”. In response to further questions, Hernández Coto indicated that the Quepos and Parrita Prosecutor’s Office cannot provide more details, as the case is under investigation, a stage that is private for third parties. The prosecutor’s office referred to a 33-page manual on Costa Rican criminal procedure. The first stage, which includes the collection and analysis of evidence, search warrants, autopsies, and requests for pre-trial detention, concludes with the formal accusation by the prosecutor, a request for provisional dismissal, or a request to close the case. A second stage may involve the filing of formal charges. The next step would be the trial stage, followed by possible appeals. It has not been specified at what stage of the process the Gardner case is in. The Gardner family has not issued any comments. Brett Gardner and his wife, Jessica, announced the passing of their son on March 23 in a statement. Miller Gardner fell ill, along with other family members, during their vacation. An OIJ spokesperson stated that Miller Gardner was with family members who informed investigators that they had “gone to eat at a restaurant and that the food had made them sick.” The OIJ considered asphyxiation before ruling it out. The director of the OIJ, Randall Zúñiga, explained in a press conference on March 28 that “high carbon monoxide emissions were detected” in the room where the family was staying a week after the death of Miller Gardner. An OIJ representative reported that the case was sent to the Quepos prosecutor’s office, near the Arenas del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, where the teenager’s body was found. Miller Gardner played American football in high school in South Carolina and wore the number 11, the same one his father wore for 14 seasons in the Major Leagues, all with the Yankees. Brett Gardner, a popular team leader, was a member of New York’s championship team in 2009 and retired in 2021.The purpose of the investigation is precisely to determine if we are dealing with a possible homicide. For this reason, it is not possible at this time to confirm or rule out that a crime has been committed.
Spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Costa Rica
