Desperate medics battled for half an hour in a bid to revive the son of Yankees legend Brett Gardner after his frantic family found him lifeless in bed on vacation in Costa Rica, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
A medical center crash team fought to give 14-year-old Miller Gardner ‘advanced life support, full on series of CPR, for 30 minutes but was unsuccessful,’ boss Dr Kevin Gannon revealed.
Tragic Miller was discovered not breathing in his room at the luxurious Arenas del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort in Manuel Antonio on Friday morning after he and his family dined the previous evening at a nearby restaurant.
Dr Gannon told DailyMail.com at his urgent care center in Quepos: ‘He was clinically dead. He had no vital signs, but we had no idea how long he’d been in that state so we got to work because everything was so unclear.
‘If he’d been like that for only, say a few minutes, there would have been a chance of saving him.’
American Dr Gannon said his team at first tried a defibrillator but Miller showed no signs of recovery. So they quickly worked on chest compressions and ensuring his airways were clear.
Miller Gardner (second right) died over the weekend, his parents Brett and Jessica announced on Sunday
Miller was found dead in his room at the luxurious Arenas del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort in Manuel Antonio on Friday morning after he and his family dined the previous evening at a nearby restaurant
Dr Kevin Gannon spoke to DailyMail.com about how medics battled to revive the 14-year-old
He said he was not the physician on the scene so he could not say if adrenaline was administered intravenously, which is another common feature of crash starting a person’s heart.
However, after 30 minutes it was decided the battle was in vain and tragic Miller was declared dead by the team, consisting of a physician, a nurse and an EMT driver.
‘We called the authorities and we stayed with the body until they arrived and took over. Our physician dealt with the family members.
On any clues to the cause of death, Dr Gannon said: ‘It’s still a mystery. We as a clinic and as first responders have the same questions as everyone else at the moment. Because everything is so unclear.
‘There are so many questions. It was overwhelming for everyone, all the family members, the hotel… it was very shocking.
‘There are people who are saying he had an allergic reaction to medication that was given to him the previous evening, or medication given by the treating team… everyone’s in the air with that.’
Meanwhile, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal that police are still returning to the $1,000-a-night resort to interview shocked staff, an insider at the hotel told us.
The family was staying at the luxurious Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort
The entire Gardner family became ill the night before Miller was found dead, a new theory brought forward by the country’s medical experts is the 14-year-old may have had an adverse reaction to the medicine the resort doctor brought to their room to combat their symptoms
Le Papillon Restaurant at nearby Hotel La Mariposa bizarrely said they had nothing to do with the incident even though they hadn’t been named as the family had dined there earlier
Anxious bosses have ordered workers not to reveal any details of the tragedy to outsiders and only talk to investigators.
But one source revealed: ‘Officers are returning to ask a lot of questions.
‘This has hit the resort hard because we have a reputation for really looking after people. We’ll accommodate many things, like special diets and treatment.
‘Additionally, the resort has waived the charge for the Gardners’ stay in view of their tragic circumstances and were suffering so much.’
Earlier on Wednesday, it was revealed that Gardner and his wife are facing fresh agony because a murderous war between drug gangs in Costa Rica is delaying their son’s autopsy results by months.
The couple must now wait up to 90 days to know exactly how their 14-year-old boy died in the central American country where bodies are piling up in a chilling spike in homicides which all need autopsies, a top official with the central American country’s Judicial Investigations Agency has admitted.
Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview at his office in capital San Juan: ‘We’re having a hike in homicides as these drug gangs battle for territory and every one of them needs an autopsy.
‘I can confirm that an autopsy has been carried out on Miller, But the full analysis and results, as in every one of them, will take at least two to three months due to these constant killings causing a backlog of cases. That’s the reality.’
Miller’s body is currently being held in the morgue at the judicial agency’s forensic medical clinical section at San Joaquin de Floris, just outside San Jose
The headquarter of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigations Agency. The country is dealing with high rates of homicide reaching nearly 1,800 murders in the past two years
Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia from Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigations Agency said the autopsy results will likely be delayed because of the country’s high homicide rate from gang violence
Costa Rica has had nearly 1,800 homicides in the past two years, nearly 17 for every 100,000 of the population.
Most murders were attributed to narco-trafficking groups, with one report claiming 63 percent of the killings were carried out by hitmen settling scores.
Alvarado revealed to DailyMail.com that New York Yankees hall of famer Gardner, wife Jessica, Miller and elder brother Hunter, 16, all suffered severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea later that evening.
He said the resort’s doctor was called immediately and she gave them all medication to combat the symptoms.
But in a startling new development, he revealed medical experts are now probing whether Miller might have had a bad or allergic reaction to any drugs they were given to alleviate the sudden sickness.
‘We’re doing toxicology tests to determine if this medicine could have caused the death,’ he told DailyMail.com.
He also said they were probing if Miller brought an existing bacterial infection with him after traveling to the Pacific coast resort from the family home in Summerville, South Carolina.
The senior official said there was no indication the death was due to recreational drugs or alcohol.
In a scenario of shifting explanations, Alvarado told DailyMail.com that investigators had discounted a previously touted possible cause of death of asphyxiation following ‘possible food poisoning’.
Brett and Jessica Gardner first announced their son’s death over the weekend in a heartbreaking statement
The statement was posted to the New York Yankees official Facebook page confirming that their son had passed away on March 21
However, he also exclusively revealed that food samples from where the Gardners dined on Thursday, March 20, have been taken for analysis.
If food is found to be a factor in the death, there could be a prosecution involving the restaurant, Alvarado added.
In another twist to the baffling case, one local eatery has come out and issued a strong denial that it had anything to do with Miller’s death, without previously being named publicly.
Le Papillon Restaurant at nearby Hotel La Mariposa said: ‘We would like to clarify that the Gardner family dined at our restaurant… on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 18, 2025 – three days before Miller’s tragic passing.
‘Any claims suggesting a link between our restaurant and this heartbreaking event are entirely false and unfounded.’
Miller’s body is currently being held in the morgue at the judicial agency’s forensic medical clinical section at San Joaquin de Floris, just outside San Jose.
‘The family have not been able to pick the body up yet because they are still waiting for all the procedures required by the American embassy here,’ Alvarado told DailyMail.com.
He said he did not know where the Gardners are staying.
‘Miller’s body can be repatriated to the United States at any time from the autopsy point of view. All the samples necessary for the results have been taken.’
Of the mix-up with the early cause of death report, he said: ‘When our agents showed up at the scene they observed the body with vomit in the mouth and nasal passages.
Gardner, 41, played 14 seasons with the Yankees between 2008 and 2021 and was part of their 2009 World Series-winning team
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‘So they provided a preliminary report saying it could have been asphyxiation due to the vomit.
‘We went with that version because the night before the family went to dine outside the hotel where they were staying and they all started to feel sick when they returned.
‘But once there was a deeper examination with the autopsy, the doctor did not find any abnormalities in the respiratory tract.
‘Now, we are focused on three areas as a possible cause of death: toxicology, neuropathology (nervous system diseases) and histology (the microscopic structure of tissues and organs).’
Brett and Jessica Gardner first announced their son’s death over the weekend in a heartbreaking statement.
‘With heavy hearts we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller,’ they wrote.
‘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 $1,000-a-night Arenas Del Mar resort said in a statement: ‘We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our hearts go out to the family during this incredibly difficult time.
‘The factors that led to this tragic incident are unknown, and we are fully cooperating with authorities as they investigate.
‘We remain committed to supporting our guests and staff, prioritizing their well-being and safety, while respecting the privacy of those affected.’
The US State Department told DailyMail.com: ‘We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death.
The Yankees had also released a statement saying they are grieving with the family and will offer support
The family is waiting for the US Embassy to complete their procedure before the bring Miller’s body back home
‘Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones during this difficult time, we have no further comment at this time.’
Gardner, 41, played 14 seasons with the Yankees between 2008 and 2021 and was part of their 2009 World Series-winning team.
He was an American League All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove in 2016.
The Yankees also released a statement, mourning Miller’s death.
‘Our hearts are heavy, and the Yankees family is filled with grief after learning of the passing of Miller Gardner,’ the team said.
‘Words feel insignificant and insufficient in trying to describe such an unimaginable loss. It wasn’t just Brett who literally grew up in this organization for more than 17 years — so did his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, Hunter and Miller.’
‘We grieve with Brett, Jessica, Hunter and their community of family and friends in mourning the loss of Miller, who had a spark in his eyes, an outgoing and feisty personality, and a warm and loving nature.’
