What happened to Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s daughter? Actor was reportedly swimming with child at the time of fatal accident

Malcolm-Jamal Warner died in a drowning accident when he went swimming alongside his 8-year-old daughter at Cocles Beach in Limón, Costa Rica on July 20, 2025. Warner and his daughter were both reportedly struggling in the ocean when surfers in the area tried to help them.

Though his daughter and two others made it safely ashore, Warner was located underwater by a doctor who administered CPR, yet was unable to save him. He was eventually found to have died of asphyxiation from a lack of oxygen.

The spot where the incident happened is known to have strong currents and rough waves, putting swimmers in danger. Roger Sanz, president of the Tourism and Commerce Chamber of the Southern Caribbean, said some hotels and accommodations alert tourists of the dangerous situations whereas others do not, resulting in avoidable incidents.

We’re heartbroken to report the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner at the age of 54 from an apparent drowning.



A generation grew up with Warner as Theodore “Theo” Huxtable. His portrayal helped redefine Black boyhood on screen, offering humor, vulnerability, and depth across eight… pic.twitter.com/2k3IHiLMr6

— ESSENCE (@Essence) July 21, 2025

Lifeguard instructor Mike Geist said that Warner had taken part in a group surf lesson hours before re-entering the water. Malcolm-Jamal Warner was discovered by a passerby paddling on a boogie board while lifeguards helped three other distressed individuals (US Weekly).

According to Geist, lifeguards were short staffed that day, as their team had moved patrols to another beach following recent incidents.

"Due to recent aquatic incidents in Playa Negra, we had redirected resources there and to Chiquita, another iconic beach known for its strong currents," he said in a statement.

Mike Geist said he regretted the accident, but without more resources, monitoring the beach appropriately was a challenge. Warner, who gained fame on The Cosby Show, had managed to keep his family life a secret, never revealing the name of his wife or his children.

A look into Malcolm-Jamal Warner's relationship with his daughter

The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a dad to his one and only child, a daughter whose name and birthday he managed to keep a secret. While he rarely posted pictures of her face, Warner often gushed about her on social media, referring to her as their “mini us” in an Instagram post from 2012.

He even reminisced dancing with her as a baby in a throwback video from 2023. Warner was deliberately protective of his daughter when it came to public life. In an Instagram post from 2019, he described his choice not to reveal her face in photos, saying:

"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,"

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Malcolm-Jamal Warner (@malcolmjamalwar)

According to People, though he was private, he frequently spoke about the joy she brought him, saying once that his love for her was “so profound that even a poet can’t find the words.”

In a podcast appearance in May 2025, he explained that he'd chosen to keep the identities of his family private but said that they were the people who were the "best parts" of his life.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner now stands as a reminder of the dangers of swimming in unfamiliar waters when no lifeguards are on duty. Authorities have insisted that safety standards must improve to prevent similar disasters.