The Caribbean Guard has spoken out about why there were no beach patrols after Malcolm-Jamal Warner tragically drowned.
Warner, best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, tragically passed away during a family vacation in Costa Rica.
Warner, 54, died on Sunday, July 20, after being swept away by a powerful ocean current at Playa Grande in Cahuita, Limón. He was on a trip with his loved ones when the incident unfolded in the early afternoon.
According to the Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), Warner was “swept away by a current” and later “rescued by bystanders and taken to shore," per PEOPLE.
Tragically, he was “declared lifeless at the scene.” His cause of death was confirmed as “asphyxiation by submersion.”
The Caribbean Guard later confirmed in a Facebook post: “Even though there were people on the beach who came in to rescue him, they didn't arrive in time.
"He was pulled underwater with no vital signs and despite having been provided with CPR maneuvers on the beach, his resuscitation was unsuccessful.”
They added that Warner had been “swept away by a strong hangover current and died by drowning,” noting that “it all happened very fast.”
The same current also caught a second man, who remains in critical condition. The Costa Rican Red Cross said they received a report of a “water-related” emergency at around 2:10PM.
Three ambulances were dispatched and treated two adult male victims. Warner was unresponsive and could not be revived. The second individual was rushed to a nearby clinic.
In their Facebook post, the Caribbean Guard noted that Playa Grande is one of the region’s “most challenging” beaches, with numerous warning signs in both English and Spanish. However, the beach was not patrolled that day.
The agency explained that resources had been “allocated elsewhere” due to other “recent water incidents” nearby.
They used the tragedy to call for more government support: “We do everything within our power. We've saved numerous lives in recent years, and if Caribbean Guard didn't exist, drownings would count by the dozens. We do our part to minimize risks, but if we don’t have government help, clear public policies and strong support from local entrepreneurs, this will keep happening.”
Warner rose to fame as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, which ran from 1984 to 1992. He earned an Emmy nomination in 1986 and remained a defining figure in television history for his role in the groundbreaking series.
In a 2013 interview, Warner reflected on the show’s cultural impact: “When the show first came out, there were white people and black people talking about [how] the Huxtables don't really exist, black people don't really live like that. Meanwhile, we were getting tens of thousands of fan letters from people saying, 'Thank you so much for this show.'”
He once recalled his casting story, telling the BBC: “I was literally the last person they saw,” describing how he was handpicked by Bill Cosby after a nationwide search.
Following The Cosby Show, Warner’s career expanded into both acting and music. He starred in Malcolm & Eddie alongside Eddie Griffin, who paid tribute on social media, writing: “R.I.P. King” and: “My big little brother.”
He also made notable guest appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Sesame Street, and more recently played AJ Austin, a cardiothoracic surgeon, on The Resident.
In music, Warner earned a Grammy in 2015 for his work on the Stevie Wonder cover 'Jesus Children of America' with Robert Glasper and Lalah Hathaway. He was nominated again in 2023 for his spoken-word album Hiding in Plain View.
He also used his voice to champion mental health awareness in the Black community through his podcast Not All Hood, which launched last year.