Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected in death of Yankees star's son
Police officers in Costa Rica are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the teenage son of baseball legend Brett Gardner. The 14-year-old was found dead while on vacation. According to the New York Yankees star, the teenager initially appeared to have died from food poisoning. However, the officers have indicated that the cause of death was different.
Miller Gardner was on vacation in Costa Rica with his parents when he was found dead on Friday, March 21, in a room at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort in Manuel Antonio.
As the son of Brett Gardner, an international baseball star and one of the best players in New York Yankees history, the teenager's death was initially believed by his family to result from food poisoning.
The family suspected that a spoiled meal in one of the restaurants led to organ failure and, consequently, his death. However, Costa Rican authorities have ruled out this cause.
The investigation revealed that the boy was poisoned by carbon monoxide. This was confirmed through a specialized examination of the room where the teenager stayed.
Adjacent to the family's apartment was a specialized machinery room, which caused the contamination. The carbon monoxide produced there could have entered the guest rooms, potentially causing the incident, stated Randall Zúñiga, the general director of Costa Rican police.
While the official cause of the 14-year-old's death has not yet been confirmed, investigators are waiting for toxicological results. Nonetheless, they consider carbon monoxide poisoning "highly probable." The levels of contamination detected far exceeded the allowable norm. Authorities reported that the boy died in his sleep.
