Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into “what happened” while Brett Gardner’s 14-year-old son Miller was staying with his family at a resort in the country, where he later died from apparent exposure to carbon monoxide.
Days after the director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ) announced Miller Gardner’s official cause of death, the country’s Ministry of Health announced in an April 4 statement that it would “also” be investigating what took place at a “hotel in Manuel Antonio” — after the OIJ report indicated “the unfortunate death of a person due to carbon monoxide inhalation.”
“In response to inquiries regarding this case, the Ministry of Health is gathering information and conducting the necessary investigations,” read the statement, translated into English and shared online.
“For this reason, it is not possible to provide further details at this time. However, once the facts are clarified, more information will be provided,” the statement added.
The New York Post attributed the statement to Health Minister Mary Munive Angermuller. The announcement did not specifically name Miller or the resort the family was staying at, the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort.
A spokesperson for the resort did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, April 6.
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The former New York Yankees player’s 14-year-old son fell ill and died on March 21, the MLB team confirmed in a statement days later.
Randall Zúñiga, director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ), later told the Associated Press on April 2 that Miller tested for carboxyhemoglobin — which is “a stable complex of carbon monoxide that forms in red blood cells when carbon monoxide is inhaled,” according to Medscape.
Miller had a carboxyhemoglobin saturation level of 64%, Zúñiga added, with a “layer” also found on his organs during the autopsy. A carboxyhemoglobin saturation level of more than 50% is considered lethal.
“It’s important to note that adjacent to this room is a dedicated machine room, where it’s believed there may be some type of contamination toward these rooms,” Zúñiga added.
Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort previously refuted the agency’s findings of “high levels of carbon monoxide contamination” last month. And, on April 1, a spokesperson for the resort said in a statement to PEOPLE that the amount of carbon monoxide in the family’s hotel room was “non-lethal.”
“We understand the concern has grown, and to clarify, the high levels of carbon monoxide were in a mechanical room that guests do not occupy. The levels in the hotel room were non-existent and non-lethal. There was an error in this initial reporting,” hotel spokesperson Dana Cohen said in a statement. “As mentioned, we await conclusive results to confirm the cause of this unfortunate death.”
In an obituary shared via the Post and Courier, the Gardner family called Miller an “active” eighth grader at his school in Charleston, S.C., who participated in sports and was an honor-roll student.
“The void Miller’s passing leaves in the hearts of his family, friends, teammates, teachers, coaches and others will be felt for years,” the Gardners wrote in the obituary, adding that their family will “forever cherish the places they visited, the people they met, the friends they made, and the memories they created together.”
“Miller’s time here with them was brief but his spirit will carry on forever through those who were impacted by the way he lived,” the obituary continued.
It added: “Miller was so blessed with experiences and friendships in his 14 years, and he would want other children to have the opportunity to create their own wonderful memories.”
The official Yankees X account first shared a statement from Miller’s parents Brett and Jessica on March 23, noting that the teen “left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on vacation.”
A Costa Rican Judicial Investigations Police official confirmed to PEOPLE that Miller’s body was released to his parents on March 26 following his sudden death in Costa Rica.
