We now know for sure that Miller Gardner died of carbon monoxide poisoning… But if he shared space with his family, why was he the only one who suffered such lethal effects?
On Wednesday, Randall Zúñiga, General Director of Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency (OIJ), reported that despite what the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort says, New York Yankees star Brett Gardner’s son DID die of carbon monoxide poisoning:
“In the carboxyhemoglobin test, a saturation level of 64 percent was found. In such cases, when concentrations exceed 50 percent carboxyhemoglobin, it is considered lethal. In this particular case, with a saturation of 64 percent, the level is clearly well above that lethal threshold. Therefore, this confirms the police hypothesis that the death was caused by exposure to poisonous gases, specifically carbon monoxide.”
He previously reported that an investigative team detected “levels as high as 600 parts per million” in the room — “when the appropriate level in this case should be zero.” But the whole family was there — parents Brett and Jessica, 14-year-old Miller, and his 16-year-old brother Hunter. So why is it only Miller died?
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On Thursday, Dr. Maikel Vargas-Sanabria, who is not associated with the investigation, offered up an upsetting explanation during a conversation with Us Weekly:
“Various factors can affect how sensitive a person is to carbon monoxide in a room. For example, carbon monoxide is a gas that is believed to be denser than air, so it tends to accumulate in the lower parts of a room. So, for instance, if there are people standing and others lying down in the same room, the gas will reach the person closer to the floor first. The one who is lying down will be affected sooner than someone standing or positioned higher.”
He proposed bunk beds as an example:
“The person on the bottom bunk would be exposed before the one on the top.”
Oh. Oh no. He may have died because of where in the room he was sleeping?! It seems so horribly unfair!
It’s not publicly clear how many rooms the Gardners occupied or what their sleeping arrangements were, but there are also factors Vargas-Sanabria offered up:
“There are also factors specific to each individual that can play a role. For example, if someone has anemia — which means a reduced amount of hemoglobin in the blood, fewer red blood cells, et cetera — that person will be affected more quickly or severely than someone with normal hemoglobin levels. Logically, a person with less hemoglobin requires a smaller amount to become saturated than a healthy person with more hemoglobin.”
If Miller suffered from anemia or any other pre-existing condition, it has not been made public. It also remains unclear if the Gardner family’s symptoms prior to Miller’s death — which included nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and more — were caused by the carbon monoxide. But Vargas-Sanabria thinks that’s certainly a possibility:
“If carbon monoxide concentrations are low, a person might experience symptoms that won’t kill them but will make them feel unwell. Like headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, general discomfort.”
He added that Miller may have been more affected because of how long he spent in the room, which was next to a machine room where the carbon monoxide reportedly escaped from:
“If they were present during a peak in carbon monoxide emission — let’s say the machine room was next door, and the equipment happened to be running harder than usual — then more combustion would be happening. If that combustion was incomplete and there was a leak into the room, the person could suffer acute poisoning right then and there.”
Wait, so for instance, choosing to stay in instead of going for a swim? Something you might do if you were feeling bad?? This is so awful!
The specialist added:
“It makes a lot more sense that if there was a leak, the carbon monoxide could have entered his room and filled it entirely, causing his death.”
There are just so many factors that led up to such an unfortunate outcome. Our hearts remain with the Gardner family.
[Images via Hunter Gardner/Instagram]
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