Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s tragic drowning death took on an even more disturbing character earlier this week after police said that the actor’s young daughter had been in the water with him at the time.
But police have now clarified the eight-year-old girl’s role in her father’s death.
Authorities originally claimed that Warner was swimming with the eight-year-old girl when he accidentally drowned during their Costa Rica vacation.
According to police, surfers leapt to action after spotting the actor and his little girl ‘struggling’ in the ocean after getting caught by a rip current.
In a statement to People on Thursday, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) said that the Cosby Show star’s daughter was not in the water at the time that he drowned.
‘Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea,’ the OIJ said in a statement originally written in Spanish.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s tragic drowning death took on a more disturbing character this week after police said his young daughter was in the water with him, but Costa Rican authorities have clarified that she was on the beach when he drowned; seen in 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia
In a statement to People on Thursday, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency said they had been playing in the water, but he left her on the shore before going back in the water with a friend, shortly before ‘they were swept away by the current’; Warner is seen with his daughter
‘It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out,’ it continued. ‘However, Mr. Warner was unable to get out and was pulled out by several people on the beach. He received care from Red Cross officials, but was pronounced dead at the scene.’
New York’s ABC7 had previously reported that law enforcement said one surfer dived in to help and ‘used his board to bring Warner’s daughter to safety and a volunteer lifeguard pulled Warner and another surfer to shore.’
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner's daughter, 8, narrowly escaped drowning accident
The reason for the discrepancy is unclear.
Warner, who died of asphyxia by submersion, was given 45 minutes of CPR after he was pulled out of the ocean.
Unfortunately, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities. He was 54.
The father and daughter had been enjoying a day on the water near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, before tragedy struck.
The outlet noted that both surfers survived the harrowing ordeal on Sunday.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Warner’s representatives for comment but hasn’t yet received a response.
New York’s ABC7 had previously reported that law enforcement said one surfer dived in to help and ‘used his board to bring Warner’s daughter to safety and a volunteer lifeguard pulled Warner and another surfer to shore’; seen in 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
The reason for the discrepancy is unclear
Prior to his passing, Warner made a conscious effort to keep his daughter and wife out of the spotlight, apart from the occasional social media post.
For privacy reasons, he chose not to publicly disclose his daughter or wife’s names.
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Earlier this week, officials announced that a man left in critical condition was trying to save the actor.
A spokesman for The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) revealed the Good Samaritan had entered the water to help Warner after he was swept away by a rip current.
A statement obtained by People confirmed the unidentified 35-year-old man had no personal connection to the actor beforehand and was simply on the beach at the time Warner got into difficulty.
Warner was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean.
First responders from Costa Rica’s Red Cross found Warner without vital signs when they attended the scene of the ‘water related incident’ around 2.10pm on Sunday.
Per the OIJ, Warner’s body will be ‘removed from the Judicial Morgue by a funeral service company hired and authorized by Mr. Warner’s family.’
Warner, who died of asphyxia by submersion, was then given 45 minutes of CPR. Unfortunately, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities. He was 54 upon his passing
According to TMZ, his remains are scheduled to leave Costa Rica on Thursday and will arrive in Los Angeles on Friday morning
A source told the outlet that the actor’s body was ‘turned over by the Judicial Morgue on Wednesday morning, following the completion of his autopsy.’
Following Warner’s shock death, lifeguards from Playa Grande — a beach community located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica — released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of ‘resources.’
‘We deeply regret the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Playa Grande. He was swept away by a strong rip current and died by drowning,’ the Caribbean Guard, Costa Rica’s volunteer lifeguard association, shared via Facebook on Monday.
‘It all happened very quickly, and although there were people on the beach who entered the water to rescue him, they did not arrive in time.’
‘He was pulled from underwater without vital signs, and despite CPR maneuvers being performed on the beach, resuscitation was unsuccessful.’
The Guard added that Playa Grande is one of their ‘most challenging beaches,’ noting the presence of signs in English and Spanish that warn of the ‘danger of death due to drowning.’
Though the Guard has patrolled there ‘over the past few years,’ they alleged that they were ‘not present’ at the time of Warner’s death.
The Costa Rican National Police reported that Warner’s body was discovered near Cocles, a beach in the Limon province (Playa Cocles pictured above)
Following Warner’s shock death at 54, lifeguards from Playa Grande released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of ‘resources’
‘Due to recent aquatic incidents in Playa Negra, we had redirected resources there and to Chiquita, another iconic beach known for its strong currents,’ they shared in the statement.
They then made an appeal to Costa Rica’s president, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, and the government.
‘From Caribbean Guard, a volunteer lifeguard association, we make an urgent appeal to the President of the Nation, the national government, the Municipality of Talamanca, and the entire Caribbean community to continue joining forces to minimize this problem, which, sadly, is on the rise ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.’
‘We do everything within our reach. We have saved numerous lives in recent years, and if Caribbean Guard didn’t exist, the number of drownings would be counted in dozens. We give everything we have to minimize the risks, but without help from the government, clear public policies, and strong support from local business owners, this will continue to happen.’
On Sunday, the Costa Rican Red Cross received a 9-1-1 alert about a water incident at Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limón. In response, three ambulances were sent to the scene, as per Us Weekly.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department told Us Weekly that their preliminary investigation indicated Warner ‘appeared to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current.’
Warner had been in Costa Rica since July 13.
Warner was best known for his iconic role as Theodore Huxtable, the only son of Cliff Huxtable, on the beloved NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.
The actor, best known for his role as Theodore Huxtable on the beloved NBC sitcom, appeared in all eight seasons from 1984 to 1992 (seen in 2006)
He appeared in all eight seasons from 1984 to 1992, earning widespread acclaim and becoming a household name.
At the time, Warner was just a teenager, but his performance earned widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 1986 Primetime Emmy Awards.
His character, Theo, was based on Bill Cosby’s real-life son, Ennis Cosby, and was portrayed with depth and sensitivity.
In the show, Theo is diagnosed with dyslexia after struggling academically during his freshman year at New York University—an arc that resonated with many viewers.
Beyond The Cosby Show, Warner carved out a successful and diverse career in both comedy and drama.
He starred as Malcolm McGee in the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000) opposite Eddie Griffin, and later headlined BET’s Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015 as Dr. Alex Reed.
His television credits also included recurring roles and guest appearances on shows like Sons of Anarchy, Jeremiah, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Community. Warner also voiced the Producer character on the educational children’s series The Magic School Bus.