Some new information has surfaced about the tragic death of former New York Yankees star Brett Gardner’s son.
Gardner and his wife Jessica announced in a statement on Sunday that their 14-year-old son Miller has died. The teenager died in his sleep on Friday after he and several other family members were said to have become ill during a recent vacation.
“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,” the statement read. “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.”
News outlets have since learned that the Gardner family was on vacation in Costa Rica when Miller died. An official with Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency told NBC News on Monday that the cause of death appears to be asphyxia “after a possible intoxication after apparently ingesting some food.” Authorities are still investigating the incident, and the findings are considered preliminary.
The Costa Rican official said Miller’s body was found on Friday in Manuel Antonio, which is a popular resort area of the Central American country.
Hunter was the younger of two sons that Brett and Jessica Gardner share together.
Gardner spent all 14 years of his MLB career with the Yankees. He was named an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2016. Gardner was the starting center fielder for the last Yankees team to win a World Series in 2009.
A fan-favorite during his tenure in the Bronx, Gardner batted .256 for his career with 139 home runs and 578 RBI. He stole 274 bases and led the American League with 49 steals in 2011.
Gardner retired after the 2021 season.
