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In its first-ever public response, Costa Rica’s highest tourism authority — the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) — has addressed the use and regulation of carbon monoxide detectors in hotels following the death of Yankees alum Brett Gardner’s 14-year-old son Miller.
“In the evaluation processes applied to lodging businesses that voluntarily apply to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute for the Tourism Declaration or the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), this type of variable is not evaluated, as it pertains to health-related matters,” they shared in an exclusive statement to Us Weekly on Thursday, April 3.
This comes two days after Us confirmed that Costa Rican officials revealed Miller died of exposure to poisonous gases including carbon monoxide poisoning. Randall Zúñiga, General Director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ), shared the toxicology results in a message to the press on Wednesday, April 2.
“In the carboxyhemoglobin test, a saturation level of 64 percent was found,” Zúñiga shared. “In such cases, when concentrations exceed 50 percent carboxyhemoglobin, it is considered lethal. In this particular case, with a saturation of 64 percent, the level is clearly well above that lethal threshold.”
Miller’s organs “showed a very specific layer that forms when a person dies from carbon monoxide poisoning or gas inhalation,” Zúñiga explained. “That emphysema was both visible and very noticeable during the autopsy.”
Since the toxicology report confirmed “the police hypothesis that the death was caused by exposure to poisonous gases,” Zúñiga stated that “the case is practically closed.” The final step is including the toxicology results in Miller’s autopsy report.
Zúñiga further noted that “tests were also conducted, such as drug screenings — including for fentanyl — and all came back negative in relation to the symptoms shown by young Gardner.”
Miller died on March 21 while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica; he was found unresponsive in their hotel room at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort. Former New York Yankees player Brett, 41, was staying with his wife, Jessica, along with Miller and their 16-year-old son Hunter.
There were several questions surrounding Miller’s death after an initial cause of death was ruled as asphyxia. However, that was ruled out shortly thereafter.
The Gardner family has kept a low profile in the wake of Miller’s death, releasing one statement on March 23.
“Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile,” Brett and Jessica shared, in part. “He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day.”
Reporting by Alejandra Araya Rojas
