The body of Brett Gardner’s son has been released to his family, Costa Rican officials said.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigations Police confirmed on Sunday that Miller Gardner’s body had been handed over on Wednesday, The New York Post reported. An investigation into the 14-year-old’s death is ongoing after he fell ill and died on March 21 while on a family vacation in Costa Rica at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort.
The former New York Yankees outfielder, his wife Jessica Gardner as well as both of their sons, Miller and Hunter, became sick after eating at a nearby restaurant and were treated by the hotel’s doctor.
Per the Associated Press, the judicial police said: “The following morning, a family member found the child with no vital signs and alerted authorities.”
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Brett Gardner played for the Major League Baseball team for the entirety of his career—from 2008 until his retirement in 2021. The 41-year-old and Jessica Gardner got married the year prior to his Yankees debut on December 1, 2007.
On Sunday, March 23, the Yankees announced Miller Gardner’s death on behalf of his parents via X.
“Statement from Brett and Jessica Gardner: With heavy hearts we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller. He was 14 years old and has left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on vacation. We have so many questions and so few answers at this point, but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st.”
“Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile. He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day,” the statement continued.
Statement from Brett and Jessica Gardner:
With heavy hearts we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller. He was 14 years old and has left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on vacation. We have so many… pic.twitter.com/lBCBVmKGUe
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 23, 2025
“We are so thankful to all who have reached out to offer support and encouragement during this difficult time and we are confident our faith, family, and friends will help us navigate this unimaginable loss. Our prayers go out to Miller’s teammates and friends, as well as to all other families who have lost a child far too soon as we share their grief. Please respect our wishes for privacy as we mourn and search for healing.”
The couple has received an outpouring of support following the news. Yankees captain Aaron Judge said the Gardners were “on my mind” on Thursday’s Opening Day, where the team honored Miller Gardner with a moment of silence.
“This guy was a leader of all of us. A second dad to some guys,” Judge said of Brett Gardner. “He poured everything into every single guy. If we were having a tough time, he was always there for you to be someone to lean on, someone to joke on.”
Meanwhile, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told The New York Post that same day that “it’s been devastating.”
“As much as the excitement of today, there’s no question we’ll be playing with heavy hearts today and throughout the year and playing with Miller in mind,” he said. “I think we can all imagine how difficult that is right now for the Gardner family.”
Miller Gardner’s preliminary cause of death was first reported as asphyxiation, but an autopsy performed by the Forensic Pathology Section dismissed that.
According to AP, the report stated: “No abnormalities were found in the respiratory tract, so samples were sent for histological, toxicological, and neuropathological analysis to the OIJ forensic laboratories, in addition to a study at the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA) at the University of Costa Rica (UCR).”
Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia, an official with Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, said Miller Gardner’s full autopsy results may be delayed for months due to gang activity in the country.