Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner Was Swimming With His Daughter When He Drowned
on Jul 23, 2025
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Daughter Was With Him When He Drowned
According to police reports, Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned on Sunday while swimming with his 8-year-old daughter off the coast of Costa Rica.
Nearby surfers saw the actor, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, struggling in the water with his daughter and immediately rushed to assist.
One surfer used his board to bring Warner’s daughter to safety, while a volunteer lifeguard managed to pull Warner and another surfer to shore. Despite efforts to revive him with 45 minutes of CPR, Warner could not be saved, authorities said.
Warner died on Sunday, July 20, at the age of 54. News of his passing was not made public until the following day.
The Actor’s Cause of Death Revealed
A source revealed to PEOPLE that Warner died of accidental drowning on Sunday, July 20, while on vacation with his family in Costa Rica.
ABC News reports that Costa Rican National Police say he was “caught by a high current in the water and was discovered Sunday afternoon.” They added that his official cause of death was asphyxia.
On Tuesday (July 22), police announced that an autopsy had been completed and confirmed the cause of death as “asphyxiation by submersion.” The Forensic Pathology Department also confirmed that Warner’s death was accidental.
Authorities told ABC News that the actor died at Cocles Beach near Limon, Costa Rica. They state that he was caught in a rip current and was rescued by bystanders who took him to shore. He received treatment but was declared deceased by the Costa Rican Red Cross.
Warner’s body arrived in San Joaquin de Flores on Monday afternoon. An autopsy was performed the following day.
Warner’s Successful Acting Career
The Cosby Show, which aired its final episode in 1992 on NBC, made Warner a household name in television. In 1986, his role as Theo saw him nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series.
The show saw Theo tackle both humorous and serious subjects, including dating, dyslexia, and racism.
Following his time on The Cosby Show, he led a sitcom titled Malcolm & Eddie, on the UPN Network, and went on to star in various supporting and guest roles in film and television.
Watch Warner in an episode of The Cosby Show below.
