The story of Miller Gardner is a heavy one. Honestly, it’s the kind of thing that makes you want to cancel your flight and hug your kids. One minute, you’re on a dream vacation in Manuel Antonio; the next, a family is shattered.
It started as a typical March getaway in 2025. Brett Gardner, the former New York Yankees outfielder, was in Costa Rica with his wife, Jessica, and their sons. They were staying at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort, a place usually associated with luxury and sloths, not crime scenes.
Then everything went wrong.
On the morning of March 21, 14-year-old Miller Gardner didn't wake up. He was found unresponsive in his room. It’s basically every parent's worst-case scenario unfolding in a foreign country.
What Really Happened with Miller Gardner?
Initially, the local authorities were leaning toward food poisoning. The whole family had felt sick after a dinner at an off-site restaurant the night before. There was even talk about asphyxiation due to vomiting.
But the truth was way more invisible.
And way more dangerous.
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On April 2, 2025, Randall Zúñiga, the director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), dropped the bombshell. It wasn't the food. Carbon monoxide poisoning was the actual culprit.
The Lethal Numbers
You’ve gotta understand how high the levels were. A carboxyhemoglobin saturation in the blood is considered lethal once it hits 50%.
Miller’s level was 64%.
Investigators found that the room was being flooded with the odorless, colorless gas. They detected levels up to 600 parts per million (ppm) in the suite. For context, most home detectors go off way before that.
The source? A dedicated machine room right next door to where the family was sleeping.
The Investigation Turns Legal
This wasn't just a tragic accident that people moved on from. It turned into a massive legal battle involving the OIJ, the FBI, and the Quepos and Parrita Prosecutor’s Office.
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As of late 2025, authorities have been raiding the resort. Seriously. They showed up in pickup trucks to seize digital records and maintenance logs.
The big question they're trying to answer is whether this was "natural" or a "homicide." In Costa Rican law, if someone dies because of negligence—like a poorly maintained boiler or a faulty ventilation system—it can be classified as negligent homicide.
The Gardners hired their own legal team in Costa Rica to stay on top of the case. They want accountability.
The Resort's Defense
Arenas Del Mar hasn't exactly stayed quiet. At one point, a spokesperson claimed the initial reports were wrong and that the carbon monoxide levels in the guest room were "non-lethal."
It’s a classic "he-said, she-said" but with forensic toxicology reports involved. The hotel says they followed protocol and called a doctor immediately. The prosecutor’s office seems to think otherwise, hence the multiple raids to check if maintenance was actually being done.
Why This Case Still Matters
If you're planning a trip to Costa Rica, or anywhere really, the Miller Gardner story is a wake-up call. It highlights a massive gap in international travel safety.
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- Detectors aren't standard. Many luxury resorts abroad do not have carbon monoxide detectors in every room.
- Maintenance isn't always visible. You can pay $800 a night and still be sleeping next to a leaky machine room.
- Jurisdiction is tricky. When an American dies abroad, the FBI can "coordinate," but the local laws of the host country dictate the investigation.
The Gardners have been remarkably private through most of this, but their statement through the Yankees said it all: they have "so many questions and so few answers."
Actionable Steps for Travelers
You can't control a hotel's maintenance schedule, but you can protect yourself. Don't wait for a tragedy to change how you travel.
Pack a portable detector. They cost about $30 and are the size of a deck of cards. It sounds paranoid until you realize carbon monoxide has no smell.
Ask about the "Machine Room." If you get to your suite and hear a heavy hum through the wall or smell faint exhaust, ask to move. Don't be "polite" about your safety.
Know the symptoms. If you and your travel partners all feel nauseous, dizzy, or "flu-ish" at the same time, get out of the room immediately. Fresh air is the only immediate fix.
The Miller Gardner case in Costa Rica isn't just a headline about a famous athlete's son. It's a reminder that safety standards aren't universal.
Check your own travel gear and ensure you have a battery-operated CO detector for your next trip.