Mystery Deepens: How Did Miller Gardner, Son of Yankees Star, Die in Costa Rica?

Brett Gardner had never envisioned reaching this phase of his life in such an unexpected way. However, on March 23rd, the former New York Yankees outfielder and his wife, Jessica Gardner, announced the sudden passing of their youngest son, Miller. He was only 14 years old and left us far too early after falling ill, along with several other family members, during a vacation. The South Carolina-based couple, who also have a 16-year-old son named Hunter, made this announcement through the team’s X account. “At this point, we have many questions and few answers,” they said, “but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st.” As condolences and support poured in, there were also efforts to piece together the details of this heartbreaking incident. It has since been disclosed that Miller died during a family trip to Costa Rica. On March 24th, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency informed NBC News that Miller’s body was found in a hotel room in the Manuel Antonio resort district.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but feel deeply grieved by this heartbreaking event. My thoughts are with the family at this excruciatingly tough moment. The circumstances surrounding this tragic incident remain unclear, but we are working closely with authorities as they delve into the matter. Our unwavering dedication lies in ensuring the well-being and safety of our guests and staff, while maintaining utmost respect for those directly impacted by this situation.

At that point, the agency’s official Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia informed NBC News that Miller seemed to have passed away due to asphyxiation possibly caused by overindulgence after consuming certain food. He also mentioned that the Gardner family fell sick after dining at a restaurant nearby on the day preceding the child’s death, and they had received medical attention from the hotel’s healthcare professionals.

Following an inspection at the hotel, Alvarado Garcia stated that it seemed Miller had suffocated due to drowning in his own vomit. Yet, it’s important to note this is a tentative cause of death as the case remains under investigation. The final conclusions will depend on the results from the autopsy and toxicology tests.

However, the very next day after his initial statement, Alvarado Garcia changed his view and said it appeared that Miller did not die from asphyxiation. Upon speaking with a pathologist, he explained to NBC News in a March 25 statement that it had been preliminarily determined that the cause of death was not due to asphyxia because no abnormality was observed at the macro level in Miller’s respiratory tract. Consequently, Alvarado Garcia stated, samples were sent to a lab for histological, toxicological, and neuropathological analysis, and a study was requested at a local university.

As for how the agency initially came to the preliminary findings before then backpedaling?

In an interview with the Daily Mail on March 26, Alvarado Garcia stated that when authorities arrived at the scene, they noticed vomit in Miller’s mouth and nasal passages. Initially, they presumed it could have been asphyxiation due to the vomit. However, upon further examination during the autopsy, the doctor found no abnormalities in the respiratory tract. It remains unclear at this time how Miller actually passed away.

Alvarado Garcia also mentioned that there has been a rise in homicides due to drug gangs fighting for territory, which has resulted in a backlog of autopsy cases. Consequently, it may take several months before the full results and analysis are available. This is the current situation.

Currently, the Gardner family and the sports world are commemorating Miller’s memory, with the New York Yankees acknowledging him on Opening Day, which was March 27. As his parents expressed in their statement on March 23, “Miller was a cherished son and sibling, and we still struggle to grasp our lives without his radiant smile. He adored football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his loved ones, and his friends. Every day, he lived life to its fullest.” To gain further insights about the Gardners and the probe into Miller’s demise, continue reading.

Regardless of Brett Gardner having spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees, the outfielder and his wife Jessica Clendenin Gardner—who got married in 2007—have managed to keep their sons Hunter and Miller away from the public eye while residing in South Carolina.

On occasion, they joined in supporting their father’s profession, as evidenced by their appearance at the CCandy Children’s Clothing Line Launch held at the MLB Fan Cave in New York City back in 2013.

Speaking about their heartbreaking loss, Miller’s loved ones characterized him as a boy with a contagious grin and one who truly embraced each day with enthusiasm.

In a statement from March 2025, the New York Yankees also fondly recalled Miller, highlighting his lively and spirited demeanor.

Just like his father, Miller exhibited a knack for sports beyond just baseball. He dabbled in football, golf, fishing, and hunting as well. In a recent TikTok post, he expressed his affection for football by posting pictures from the field, accompanied by the caption, “I truly miss it.

In a March 2025 statement, the Yankees, who Miller played for between 2008 and 2021, honored his memory by highlighting his lively spirit and affectionate character, characterized by a gleam in his eyes and a kind, caring demeanor.

In their declaration, they noted that it wasn’t only Brett who spent over 17 years maturing within this organization; likewise, his wife, Jessica, and their two sons also grew up here.

According to a statement from Brett’s previous team, Brett and his family announced that following Miller and other individuals falling sick during their vacation, Brett tragically passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of March 21st.

They penned down that Miller was deeply cherished as a son and a brother, and it’s still hard for us to imagine our lives devoid of his radiant, contagious grin.

In the midst of their sorrow, the Gardners shared that they’re struggling to understand what occurred, as they put it, “We find ourselves with numerous queries and very few responses at the moment.

A day following Brett and Jessica’s disclosure about Miller’s passing, the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica informed Inside Edition that the family had been on a spring break holiday in Central America when Miller died.

The Embassy additionally verified that they were engaged in conversations regarding arranging for Miller’s remains to be returned to the United States with the Gardner family.

Following the unexpected death of Miller, reported by Brett and Jessica, Costa Rican authorities suggested that the teenager might have passed away due to asphyxiation, potentially caused by consuming a harmful substance.

Initially, it appears that the individual died due to asphyxia following potential poisoning from consuming certain food. At present, this is a death under investigation, with the outcome dependent on the autopsy results and toxicology analysis, which will help ascertain the precise cause of death.

Nevertheless, the authorities determined that suffocation wasn’t the reason for his demise, as there was no blockage detected in his respiratory system.

On March 20, after dining at a restaurant and returning to their hotel, Miller along with his parents and sibling fell ill. This information was disclosed by agency spokesperson Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia to NBC News on March 25. The hotel’s medical team attended to all four family members, but unfortunately, Miller was found deceased in his room the following morning.

The investigation is ongoing and pending medical test results.

2 days following the Gardner family’s announcement of Miller’s passing, the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, where the family was on holiday in Costa Rica, expressed their sympathies.

A spokesperson for the hotel expressed heartfelt sorrow over this unfortunate event and extended sympathies to the affected family. They emphasized that the causes of this terrible incident remain unclear, but assured full cooperation with the authorities as they conduct their investigation.

The resort stated, ‘We continue to stand by our promise to care for both our guests and employees. We place a high value on their health and security, all the while upholding the privacy of those involved.’

Additionally, the hotel refused any liability for the Gardner family falling ill at a neighboring eatery prior to Miller’s demise.

The family didn’t dine at any of Arenas Del Mar’s eateries for either lunch or dinner the day before, as the resort representative clarified. Moreover, on March 14th, there was an inspection by the Health Ministry, and the hotel scored a remarkable 98.5 out of 100 points.

Following the resort where the Gardner family was lodging issuing a statement, Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia, a representative from Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (JIA), clarified that the autopsy results for Miller will be postponed by several months due to the high crime rate in the region.

He stated that we’re witnessing an increase in murders due to the ongoing territorial disputes among drug gangs, and each of these incidents requires a postmortem examination,” he told DailyMail.com.

He stated, “Yes, I can verify that an autopsy has been performed on Miller. However, the comprehensive examination and findings, just like in all similar situations, will require at least two to three months because of the ongoing deaths leading to a pile-up of cases, which is unfortunately true.

Alvarado Garcia indeed affirmed that there was no suggestion that Miller’s demise was due to the use of recreational substances or excessive drinking.

Even though the process might take some time due to necessary sample analysis, it was clarified that since all required samples for Miller’s autopsy had been collected, his body can be returned to the United States. However, there seems to be a hold-up as the Gardner family is still waiting on the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica to process their repatriation request.

On the occasion of Opening Day 2025 celebrations on March 27, Brett’s previous team observed a moment of silence in tribute to Miller.

During the memorial, athletes took off their caps and lined up around the perimeter of Yankee Stadium’s baseball field as a photo of Miller grinning appeared on the jumbo screen above. The caption read, “Honoring Miller Gardner.

2025-03-30 16:17

Read More