“It’s just a special way for me to get involved.”
New details have been released regarding the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
The actor, best known for his roles on “The Cosby Show” and “The Resident,” died on July 20 after being swept away by a current while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica, according to ABC News.
His official cause of death was described as “asphyxiation by submersion,” per the outlet. He was 54.
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It was initially reported that Warner “was swimming with his 8-year-old daughter” when a group of surfers “spotted them struggling and dove in to help,” according to ABC News.
But new details of the actor’s death are telling a different story.
In a statement released by Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and shared by People, authorities confirmed that Warner’s daughter wasn’t in the water with him when he drowned.
"Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea," the OIJ wrote, according to People.
“It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out,” the statement continued.
The OIJ further clarified that Warner was “pulled out by several people on the beach” and “received care from Red Cross officials” before being pronounced dead at the scene.
Warner is survived by his wife and 8-year-old daughter, whom he chose to keep out of the spotlight.
He did, however, reveal that he met his future wife when he was 45 years old and that they’ve been together for nearly 10 years during a May appearance on the “Hot & Bothered” podcast.
"We have never had a fight, an argument, a raised voice or a harsh word said to one another. ... And it's not like we agree on everything," he said in the episode.
"I think because we met later in life, we've just always been at a point where we have a way of communicating like adults,” he added.
The couple tied the knot in 2017, according to People, and they welcomed their daughter shortly after.
Warner describes his daughter as his and his wife’s ‘mini us’
In a 2021 Instagram post, Warner opened up about his marriage and journey into fatherhood.
He admitted that he and his wife weren’t interested in each other when they first met and “were pretty clear that this was not going to become anything other than maybe a cool friendship.”
At the time, he was up front with his then-date about not really wanting kids.
“I had already decided the next chapters of my life would be about something bigger than family,” he wrote in the caption.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I envision that a few years later I’d be making my very first cake with the help of the beautiful manifestation of our love, who is truly our ‘mini us,’” he wrote of his daughter.
“Whatever 'bigger than family' ideas I had in my head before these two beautiful spirits came into my life are now fueled to be even bigger. Life is even more fulfilling,” he added.
In 2019, he revealed the reasoning behind keeping his daughter’s identity private.
“Thank you for sharing in my joy as a father even though I don't post her face. She has the rest of her life for that life. Right now I just want her to BE,” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time.
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“But it doesn't stop me from BEing a proud papa!” he added.
