New information has emerged in the heartbreaking death of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, confirming that the 54-year-old was swimming with his 8-year-old daughter when he drowned off the coast of Costa Rica this past Sunday.
Costa Rican authorities told ABC News that Warner and his daughter were caught in a powerful rip current near Cocles Beach, located in the Limón province. According to eyewitnesses, local surfers noticed the pair struggling in the water and rushed to help. One surfer used his board to carry Warner’s daughter to safety, while a volunteer lifeguard and another surfer brought Warner back to shore.
Despite efforts from two doctors who happened to be nearby and administered CPR for 45 minutes, Warner could not be revived. The Forensic Pathology Department has confirmed his cause of death as asphyxiation due to submersion. His passing has been officially ruled an accident.
The tragedy has shaken both the entertainment community and Warner’s fans, many of whom grew up watching him as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, where he became a household name and a staple in Black American television history.
The revelation that Warner died while trying to protect his daughter has only added to the sorrow. While Warner remained intensely private about his personal life, he often spoke publicly about the joy and transformation fatherhood brought him.
Though he never revealed his daughter’s name or shared her face on social media, his love for her was unmistakable in his words.
