A former New York Yankees player and his wife say they have “many questions” and “few answers” after their youngest son fell ill and died during a family vacation.

Miller Gardner – the son of Brett and Jessica Gardner – was 14.

Miler Gardner died in his sleep on Friday morning, according to a statement from the couple that was released by the Yankees on Sunday. Costa Rica’s judicial investigation agency reportedly told NBC News that the boy seemingly died by asphyxia “after a possible intoxication after apparently ingesting some food”.

The cause of death was preliminary, and officials are awaiting an autopsy and an analysis of toxicology testing results, NBC reported.

Miller Gardner’s body was found in a hotel room in the popular Costa Rican resort area of Manuel Antonio, on the country’s Pacific coast.

The Gardners’ statement said their family had “so many questions and so few answers at this point”.

“Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile,” Jessica and Brett Gardner said in the release. “He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day.”

The Yankees said their organization was “filled with grief”.

“Words feel insignificant and insufficient in trying to describe such an unimaginable loss,” a statement from the team said. “It wasn’t just Brett who literally grew up in this organization for more than 17 years – so did his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, Hunter and Miller.”

Brett Gardner, 41, was drafted by the Yankees in 2005 and spent his entire Major League Baseball career – from 2008 to 2021 – with the organization. The outfielder helped the Yankees win a World Series championship in 2009, and was a popular figure in the clubhouse and with the team’s fans.

The Associated Press contributed reporting