Warner had been swimming with his 8-year-old daughter at Playa Cocles in Limon Province when a powerful rip current swept him away. A nearby surfer rescued the child, while volunteer lifeguard Mike Geist and another Good Samaritan rushed into the water to try to save Warner.
“We found him below the surface, near the ocean floor,” Geist told AZ Family. A surfer brought Warner to the surface and began resuscitation efforts. Two doctors vacationing nearby also joined the effort, performing CPR for over 45 minutes. But it was too late.
“Unfortunately, it was not successful,” Geist said somberly.
Warner was pulled from the water without vital signs. Authorities confirmed his cause of death as asphyxiation by submersion.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Caribbean Guard—Costa Rica’s volunteer lifeguard organization—said they were unable to intervene in time due to limited resources and staffing.
“It all happened very quickly,” the group posted on Facebook. “Though people on the beach tried to rescue him, they couldn’t reach him in time.”
Warner’s death sent shockwaves through fans around the world, many who grew up watching him play the thoughtful, charismatic Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He appeared in all 197 episodes over eight seasons, earning an Emmy nomination in 1986 and becoming a symbol of Black boyhood in American television history.
Beyond The Cosby Show, Warner’s career spanned more than four decades, including starring roles in Malcolm & Eddie, Read Between the Lines, and The Resident. Most recently, he appeared in a gripping four-episode arc on 9-1-1.
Warner leaves behind a wife and young daughter, born in 2017. Their names have not been made public.
Playa Cocles, the beach where Warner drowned, is known for strong currents. Signs posted in both English and Spanish warn visitors of the “danger of death due to drowning.” Officials confirmed no professional lifeguards were on duty at the time.
The tragedy has reignited calls for increased beach safety in Costa Rica’s most hazardous areas.
“It’s a painful reminder that nature can be brutal—and that safety resources are essential,” said one local resident.
Warner’s legacy, however, is enduring. From his memorable TV moments to his real-life role as a father, the actor leaves behind a lasting imprint on American culture—and a generation that grew up laughing, learning, and coming of age with Theo Huxtable.