On Sunday, July 20, 2025, American actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, passed away at the age of 54 after a tragic incident in Playa Grande de Cocles, Limón province, Costa Rica.
According to the Costa Rican Judicial Police (OIJ), he was swept away by a strong current while swimming and the forensic report confirmed that it was an accidental death, by “asphyxia by submersion”.
Chronology of the accident
Around 2:10 p.m. Sunday, Warner was swimming with his daughter on the beach when he was caught in a sudden current.
Witnesses helped him out of the water, but he was already unconscious.
Red Cross teams arrived quickly and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the shore.
Warner was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was transferred to the Judicial Morgue in Heredia, and the official autopsy on Tuesday 22nd established that the cause of death was asphyxia by immersion, with no signs of violence or suspicious conditions.
Career path and achievements
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born on August 18, 1970 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
He was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Cosby Show (1984-1992).
He later starred in comedies such as Malcolm & Eddie, lent his voice to The Magic School Bus and acted in series such as Reed Between the Lines, The Resident (2024) and Alert Missing Persons Unit (2025).
As a musician and poet, he won a Grammy in 2015 for “Jesus Children” with Robert Glasper Experiment, as well as a nomination for his spoken-word poetry album Hiding in Plain View.
In June 2024, he launched the Not All Hood podcast.
Implications for Hispanics
For the Latino community in the U.S., especially in cities such as Miami, Los Angeles, Houston and New York, this event has several implications:
Vacation safety: emphasizes the dangers of swimming in unmarked ocean currents and the need for warning in tourist destinations.
Warner was a source of pride for African-Americans and Latinos, showing that a television actor can evolve into music, poetry and cultural activism.
An example of artistic multifacetedness: it demonstrates that television personalities can thrive in different creative and community fields.
La tragedia del actor tiene a todo Hollywood conmocionado y diversas figuras de la televisión han mostrado su pesar por la muerte del histrión
The Malcolm-Jamal Warner Legacy
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner leaves behind an artistic legacy that transcends television: he was an award-winning actor, musician, poet and voice for the community.
His sudden death in Costa Rica is a call for caution on family vacations and a profound loss for Latino culture in the U.S.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.
