Clarifying the Tragedy: What Really Happened When Malcolm-Jamal Warner Drowned in Costa Rica
Jordan Collins here, I guess I can simplify this for you. You probably already know about the shocking news that 54-year-old actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner died in an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica on July 20. Before any confusion sets in, let’s get the facts straight.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed in a July 24 statement obtained by People Magazine that The Cosby Show star was not swimming with his eight-year-old daughter when he went under. At one point Warner was on the shoreline playing with his daughter and a friend. He left his daughter safely on the sand and then entered the sea with that friend. It was in those moments that a strong current swept both men away. The friend fought the waves and managed to swim back to shore, but Warner could not free himself from the pull of the water. Several good Samaritans on the beach pulled him out, and Costa Rican Red Cross officials administered emergency care. Despite 45 minutes of CPR, Warner was pronounced dead at the scene. The Costa Rican National Police later ruled his official cause of death as asphyxia.
Earlier reports from ABC News had suggested Warner and his daughter were struggling together in the surf and that surfers had rescued them both. According to ABC News, a surfer used his board to ferry the little girl to safety while a volunteer lifeguard helped Warner. A second man was also injured in the same incident and taken to a local clinic in critical condition. NBC News later quoted the Costa Rican Red Cross saying two people were carried away by the current and that both were removed from the water before paramedics arrived.
Fans and friends have been pouring out their condolences on social media. Tracee Ellis Ross wrote on Instagram, “First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so so sad.” Raven-Symone, Bill Cosby and other former castmates also expressed heartbreak over the loss of Warner, who became a household name as intelligent and charming youngest son Theo Huxtable.
Warner himself once summed up how he wanted his life to be remembered. On a May 21 episode of the Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford podcast he said, “I will be able to leave this earth knowing and people knowing that I was a good person. My dad said to me often, ‘…what really makes me the most proud is that you are a good person.’” Beyond his iconic role on NBC’s hit sitcom, Warner built a strong resume in shows like Reed Between the Lines and The Resident.
There is no more mystery about who was in the water and when. The official clarifications from Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency, ABC News, NBC News and local Red Cross all match up: Warner’s daughter was safe on the sand during the fatal moments. Hopefully I have cleared up any remaining questions.
Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, ABC News, NBC News, Costa Rica Judicial Investigation Agency, Costa Rican Red Cross, Costa Rican National Police
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
