Former Yankee Brett Gardner's family sues Costa Rican resort after son's March 2025 death
Former Yankees centerfielder Brett Gardner in the dugout at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 2, 2021. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
TAMPA, Fla. — The family of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner filed a federal lawsuit on Friday blaming a resort in Costa Rica for the carbon monoxide-related death of Gardner’s 14-year-old son, Miller.
Miller Gardner died on March 21, 2025, during a family vacation at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort.
“This has been the most excruciating year for our family,” Brett Gardner said in a statement released by his attorneys at the firm of Motley Rice. “We felt all along that this tragedy could have been prevented, and the preliminary investigation reports confirmed our beliefs. We are committed to raising awareness and pursuing meaningful change. Our hope and prayer is that by taking this stand for accountability, we can help prevent another family from suffering from such a tragedy.”
Brett Gardner played for the Yankees for his entire career from 2008-21. The team held a moment of silence for Miller before the 2025 season opener at Yankee Stadium.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Pennsylvania, is seeking unspecified damages for “gross negligence, wrongful death, emotional distress, vicarious liability, breach of warranty, loss of filial consortium and other causes of action,” according to a statement released by the Gardners’ lawyers.
Costa Rican authorities have blamed carbon monoxide poisoning for Miller’s death. According to the Gardners’ lawyers, all four family members fell ill on the night of March 20, 2025.
The defendants, according to The Associated Press, include individuals who own and operate the resort, as well as a Newtown, Pennsylvania-based venture capital firm. Messages seeking comment left Friday by the AP at businesses linked to the defendants were not immediately returned.
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
More Yankees headlines
