New Details In Drowning Death Of 'Cosby Show' Star, NJ Native Malcolm-Jamal Warner

JERSEY CITY, NJ — "Cosby Show" TV star and Jersey City native Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who drowned while on a family vacation on Sunday, was swimming with his daughter, who also had to be rescued, said media reports this week.

TV viewers and celebrities alike have mourned the actor, who played teenage son Theo Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," one of the highest rated TV sit-coms of the 1980s.

The actor was born in Jersey City in 1970, according to his IMDB profile.

Warner, 54, drowned on Sunday while swimming on a family vacation in Costa Rica, said reports. Costa Rican police said Warner got caught in a high current near a beach called Cocles in the Province of Limón.

His body was discovered Sunday afternoon and the official cause of death was asphyxia, ABC said.

He was living in Atlanta with his wife and 8-year-old daughter, said the New York Post.

ABC News reported that he was swimming with his daughter on Sunday when surfers saw them struggling and tried to rescue both. They were able to pull his daughter to safety.

Another man who was nearby was pulled out and is in critical condition, reported USA Today.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Jersey City native Malcolm-Jamal Warner," said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday. "From his iconic portrayal of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show to his more recent role on Fox’s The Resident,"

He added, "Malcom-Jamal brought joy and hope to millions of Americans. We are praying for the Warner family during this incredibly difficult time."

Commenters in a Jersey City Facebook group said the actor lived on Jersey Avenue as a child.

Warner's family moved to Los Angeles when he was 5, said the Hollywood Reporter. He attended elementary school in California and high school in Manhattan.

He would have turned 55 on Aug. 18.

The show was a No. 1 hit at the time of its airing and broke barriers with its portrayal of a Black middle class family and tackling of tough issues, BET noted. While the show was groundbreaking, Cosby's reputation as "America's Dad" was shattered after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women.

"Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now ... I'm still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, Black culture — but also American culture," Warner told People in an interview

Warner had won both an Emmy and a Grammy award.

Cosby told ABC News that Warner — who played his son Theo Huxtable on the NBC sitcom from 1984 to 1992 — was “very professional” and “a great studier.”

The role of Theo Huxtable was loosely inspired by Cosby’s real-life son, Ennis, who was murdered in 1997. Cosby noted the parallels between the two young men and shared that Warner and Ennis were friends during their youth. Cosby’s spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, told People, the grief “reminded him of the same call he received when his son died,” Variety Magazine reported.

Cosby said he maintained a paternal bond with Warner long after “The Cosby Show” ended its eight-season run from 1984 to 1992.

“Malcolm calls here regularly,” Cosby told ABC. “While I was their TV dad, I never stopped being a father to them.”

According to Wyatt, Cosby has been in contact with other “Cosby Show” alumni, including Phylicia Rashad, who played his onscreen wife Clair Huxtable, Variety Magazine said.

Patch Editors Dino Ciliberti and Chris Lindahl contributed to this story.