Brett Gardner's Son's Autopsy Delayed

It might take several months before Brett Gardner and his loved ones receive answers concerning the tragic passing of their son, Miller Gardner.

After Jessica Gardner and the former Yankees outfielder announced the unexpected death of their 14-year-old during their vacation in Costa Rica, officials have disclosed that it could take several months to release the autopsy results due to a high rate of murders in the region.

According to the spokesperson for Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia, we’re seeing an increase in murders due to drug gangs fighting over territory. He added that each of these cases requires a post-mortem examination.

He stated, “It’s true I had an autopsy performed on Miller, yet the comprehensive findings and results, like all such investigations, won’t be available for at least two to three months because the ongoing murders are creating a case backlog.” This is simply how it stands.

Despite a delay due to the necessary samples being taken for the autopsy of Miller, it has been confirmed that his body can be returned to the United States. However, Brett and his family are still waiting as the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica processes their request to bring Miller back home, with Brett also sharing a 16-year-old son named Hunter Gardner with Jessica.

Nevertheless, during the probe into the teenager’s demise, authorities have shed light on the last few hours preceding the discovery of his lifeless body on March 21st.

During their stay at Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, the Gardner family dined at a restaurant outside of the resort. Later, they required attention from the hotel medical staff due to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea upon returning to the resort. Alvarado Garcia verified this to DailyMail.com. Furthermore, he mentioned that food samples were collected from the restaurant where the family had dined for analysis.

Following the announcement on March 24 by Costa Rican authorities that Miller’s initial cause of death was asphyxiation due to consuming a harmful substance, the agency has now decided to carry on with their ongoing investigation.

In his statement to NBC News on March 25th, Alvarado Garcia said that it appeared as though the cause of death wasn’t due to asphyxia because, upon examination of the body, no visible abnormalities were found at a glance in the respiratory system.

I’m sharing my thoughts here, drawing on my expertise in lifestyle and wellness: “Could it have been a medication causing a reaction, or perhaps an existing health condition exacerbated by dietary factors or medications? To fully understand what happened, we need to wait for the test results to come in.

In a heart-wrenching statement on March 23, Brett and Jessica honored the life of their late son as well.

In a heartfelt statement posted on their social media, it was expressed that Miller held a special place in their hearts as a cherished son and brother. At present, we struggle to imagine our days without his radiant grin. Known for his passion for football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, and above all, his family and friends, he lived each day with zest.

Read on for more details in the case of Miller Gardner’s death.

(TopMob and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal Family.)

Regardless of Brett Gardner having spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees, the player and his wife Jessica Clendenin Gardner, who married in 2007, have generally kept their sons Hunter and Miller away from public scrutiny, residing in South Carolina.

On occasion, they joined forces to boost their father’s profession, making appearances such as the launch of his CCandy Children’s Clothing Line at the MLB Fan Cave in New York City back in 2013.

Speaking about the sad demise of Miller, his family characterized him as possessing a radiant, contagious grin, and someone who embraced each day with zest and enthusiasm.

In a statement from March 2025, the New York Yankees also fondly recalled Miller’s lively and spirited character.

Similar to his father, Miller had a knack for sports, not just baseball, but also dabbled in football, golf, fishing, and hunting. In a TikTok post earlier this year, he expressed his fondness for football by posting pictures of himself on the field with the caption, “I miss it.

In a March 2025 statement, the team that Miller represented from 2008 to 2021, fondly remembered him for the vivacious spark in his eyes and his kind, affectionate personality.

In their statement, the team added, “Besides Brett, it’s important to note that his wife, Jessica, their two sons, and he himself have all been part of this organization for over 17 years.

According to a statement from Brett’s previous team, it was reported that Brett, along with his family, shared the news that Miller and others became unwell during a vacation. Sadly, their 14-year-old son passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, March 21st.

They described Miller as deeply cherished by family, and at the moment, it’s hard for us to imagine life without his radiant, contagious grin.

Amidst their sorrow, the Gardners struggle to understand what transpired, as they themselves have stated, “At present, we’re inundated with questions, but answers remain scarce.

A day following Brett and Jessica’s disclosure about Miller’s passing, it was shared with Inside Edition by the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica that the family was on a spring break vacation in Central America when he died.

The Embassy also verified they were negotiating with the Gardner family regarding arranging Miller’s remains to be sent back to the United States.

Following the unexpected death of Miller, which Brett and Jessica made public, Costa Rican authorities speculate that the teenager might have passed away due to asphyxiation, potentially from consuming a harmful substance.

Initially, it appears that the individual may have died due to asphyxia following a suspected poisoning from consuming certain food. Currently, this is an investigation into the cause of death and we are waiting for the autopsy results and toxicology analysis to confirm the exact cause.

Instead, it was determined that suffocation wasn’t the reason for his death, as there were no blockages found within his respiratory system.

It was revealed by agency representative Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia to NBC News on March 25 that Miller, along with his parents and sibling, had become ill on March 20 following their hotel visit from a restaurant. He explained that medical personnel at the hotel attended to all four family members before Miller’s body was discovered in his room the next morning.

The investigation is ongoing and pending medical test results.

Following the tragic passing of Miller, just two days ago as reported by the Gardner family, I, as a lifestyle expert, extend my deepest sympathies to all who knew and loved him. The Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort in Costa Rica, where the family was vacationing, has also expressed their condolences at this difficult time.

I, representing the hotel, express my profound sorrow over this heartbreaking event. My thoughts are with the family during their challenging time. The circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident remain unclear, but we are fully supporting the investigations being conducted by the authorities.

The resort assured that they continue to prioritize the health and safety of both their guests and employees, while maintaining privacy for those involved.

Additionally, the hotel refused to accept blame for the Gardner family falling ill at a neighboring eatery several hours prior to Miller’s passing.

Yesterday, the family didn’t dine at any of Arenas Del Mar’s restaurants for either lunch or dinner. Moreover, on March 14th, we underwent an inspection by the Health Ministry and scored an impressive 98.5 out of 100.

After the resort where the Gardner family was staying released a statement, Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia, a representative for Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (JIA), clarified that the autopsy results for Miller would be significantly delayed – potentially by several months – due to a high crime rate in the surrounding area.

He explained to DailyMail.com that we are witnessing an increase in murders due to the ongoing conflicts between drug gangs over territories, and each case requires a thorough autopsy for investigation.

He stated, “Indeed, an autopsy was performed on Miller. However, the comprehensive findings and results, like all similar cases, will require about two to three months for completion. This is because the current high rate of deaths has created a stack of cases that need processing.

Alvarado Garcia made it clear that there was no evidence suggesting Miller’s demise was due to the use of recreational drugs or excessive drinking.

Despite a delay in receiving the results due to the required samples being collected for Miller’s autopsy, it was clarified that his body can be returned to the United States. However, the Gardner family is currently waiting on the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica to process their repatriation request.

2025-03-27 00:47

Brett Gardner’s Son’s Autopsy Delayed

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