The tragic death of 14-year-old Miller, the youngest son of the former New York Yankees outfielder, Brett Gardner, has taken a shocking turn nearly three months after the incident, now the subject of a possible homicide investigation.
What was initially believed to be a medical emergency during a family vacation, the teenager was found unresponsive in his room at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort in Manuel Antonio on March 21.
His family had fallen violently ill the night before after dining at a nearby restaurant with symptoms, including vomiting and severe stomach cramps, were first attributed to food poisoning or a drug reaction.
However, toxicology reports later confirmed a more chilling cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning, with Miller running a saturation level that was over 50%, a concentration considered fatal.
Randall Zuniga, director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ), has ruled out that other drugs tests such as fentanyl, were not present in his system.
Now Sharon Hernandez Coto, spokesperson for Costa Rica’s Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed to ESPN this week that homicide is still a possible outcome of the investigation.
“The purpose of the investigation,” Coto said. “Is precisely to determine whether or not 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.”
How did the rest of the Gardner family survive?
The resort’s management claimed that any gas present was limited to an adjacent mechanical room and that the levels detected in the family’s guest room were “non-existent and non-lethal.”
Although contradiction has led to further scrutiny of the resort’s infrastructure and safety practices in light of the ongoing investigation from Costa Rican authorities.
Meanwhile, one of the most pressing questions for investigators turned out to be: How did the rest of the Gardner family survive while Miller succumbed to the poisoning?
According to Dr. Maikel Vargas-Sanabria, a forensic pathologist and professor at the University of Costa Rica, there is a scientific explanation related to how the gas works.
“Carbon monoxide is denser than air, so it collects near the floor,” Vargas-Sanabria said. “Anyone lying down would inhale more of it faster than someone standing or sleeping higher up.”
This could explain why Miller, who was reportedly asleep on a lower surface, was the only fatality at the resort where nightly rates exceed $1000 – highlighting the standard of quality expected.
Since the tragedy, Gardner, who won a World Series with the Yankees in 2009 and played with the team until 2021, has not made any public appearances or statements beyond the initial release.
What began as a tragic accident is now under the shadow of potential criminal responsibility as Costa Rican authorities continue their investigation with no confirmed timeline of when the case concludes.
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