Cause Of Death Confirmed For Ex-Yankees Player Brett Gardner's Son

NEW YORK CITY — The son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner died of carbon monoxide poisoning while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica, authorities told The Associated Press.

Randall Zúñiga, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency, said they tested 14-year-old Miller Gardner for carboxyhemoglobin, a compound generated when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood.

When carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50 percent, it is considered lethal. In Gardner’s case, the test showed a saturation of 64 percent.

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“It’s important to note that adjacent to this room is a dedicated machine room, where it’s believed there may be some type of contamination toward these rooms,” Zúñiga said.

The head of the Costa Rican judicial police added that, during the autopsy, a “layer” was detected on the young man’s organs, which forms when there is a high presence of the poisonous gas.

Gardner died in his sleep on March 21 while staying with his family at the Arenas Del Mar Resort in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

According to a new ABC News report, the family felt sick after eating dinner at a restaurant close to their resort on Thursday, a Costa Rican source close to the investigation told the outlet. Some speculated whether the family had suffered food poisoning.

Costa Rican officials previously ruled out asphyxiation in the teen's death because his respiratory tract was clear. Authorities initially told ABC News they suspected he died from possible asphyxiation from "food intoxication," or a reaction to the food he consumed.

Gardner was treated by the resort's medical team before his death.

"We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our hearts go out to the family," a spokesperson for the Arenas Del Mar Resort said in a statement.

Brett Gardner, 41, was drafted by the Yankees in 2005 and spent his entire major league career with the organization. The speedy outfielder batted .256 with 139 homers, 578 RBIs, 274 steals and 73 triples in 14 seasons from 2008 to 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.