New Cause Of Death Possible In Miller Gardner Death Mystery

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Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former Yankees star Brett Gardner, may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to Costa Rican authorities per the New York Post. On Monday, officials announced that investigators had detected “high levels” of the toxic gas in the hotel room where the Gardner family was staying.

Miller tragically passed away on March 21 while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica. Several family members had reportedly fallen ill under mysterious circumstances in the days leading up to his death.

Initial reports speculated that Miller may have died in his sleep from asphyxiation caused by food poisoning. However, that theory has since been ruled out.

Tests have confirmed “high levels of carbon monoxide” in the Gardner family’s hotel room, which was next to a mechanical room, according to Randall Zúñiga, head of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ). He said Monday that the investigation is still ongoing and is being conducted with help from the FBI. Officials are now waiting on final toxicology results.

“It’s also important to note that next to [the family’s] room there is a specialized machine room, from which it is believed some form of contamination may have reached the guest rooms, potentially causing the incident,” Zúñiga said in a press conference.

“Nonetheless, the initial investigative findings indicate that the incident was due to this contamination, with levels as high as 600 parts per million detected — when the appropriate level in this case should be zero,” he said.

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Officials first suspected that Miller may have died from suffocation after possibly ingesting a toxic substance, but that theory was later ruled out. They also confirmed that drugs and alcohol were not factors in his death.

Miller’s sudden death has left both doctors and investigators searching for answers. The possible cause has shifted from asphyxiation to a potential allergic reaction, but nothing will be confirmed until the toxicology report is completed .

Doctors who responded the morning Miller was found unresponsive told The Post they spent a difficult 30 minutes trying to revive him. The Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, where the Gardner family stayed and reportedly ate dinner the night before, tried to distance itself after early reports of food poisoning. Still, the high-profile tragedy has taken a toll on tourism across Costa Rica, with many travelers canceling hotel bookings.