Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Mother Talks About His Drowning, Says About His Daughter, 'She Watched..'

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, a popular actor and musician, shockingly passed away on July 21, 2025. A family vacation in Costa Rica, that should have been a fun get-together, turned tragic when Malcolm drowned after being caught in a strong current. His mother, Pamela Warner, revealed more details about his untimely death and talked about how his wife and daughter are dealing with the shocking demise of Malcolm. 

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's mother talks about how he drowned and passed away 

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's mother, Pamela, sat for an interview for the first time since her son's passing at the age of 54. In the Good Morning America interview, she addressed the tragic time that their family was going through and provided details about the musician's death. Pamela said that Malcolm's eight-year-old daughter was homeschooled and, as part of an immersion program, the family had travelled to Costa Rica. However, the mother and daughter had been there for weeks and were later joined by Malcolm, as that was the given time for the fathers to join. 

Pamela Warner, then talking about the drowning accident that claimed Malcolm's life, said that contrary to what most reports suggested, his eight-year-old daughter wasn't in the water when he drowned. Pamela said that another 'gentleman' was in the water when Malcolm, an inexperienced swimmer, fell prey to a strong undercurrent and drowned. Malcolm's mother revealed:

"They were in the water, I think maybe chest deep, even at that — maybe waist deep. There was an undertow, and my son was not an experienced swimmer. He did not know how to deal with an undertow. The same happened to the other gentleman, but he was a more experienced swimmer and he was able to rescue himself. But Malcolm was not."

advertisement

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's daughter and wife are processing their grief after his demise 

Although Malcom's daughter wasn't in the water when he drowned, Pamela revealed that she did see people trying to resuscitate her father. Pamela also stated that it was 'awfully traumatic' for the child. In the interview, she shared:

"Children process differently. She watched them try to resuscitate him, so she saw that, and I know that's awfully, awfully traumatic. She loved her father dearly. She adored papa — he was papa."

Malcolm had kept the idenity of his wife private, however after his passing, Tenisha Warner posted their picture on her Instagram to announce starting a charitable foundation named after the Warner family. Pamela said that both Tenisha and their daughter are in deep grief after losing Malcolm. Meanwhile, the musician's mother also revealed that when she heard about the tragic news, she screamed from 'the bottom of her soul'. However, Pamela expressed that this was the physical part of her grief. Spiritually, she believes that 'it was his time'. Talking about the physical pain, Pamela said:

"It (the scream) was from the bottom of my soul. And what came up and what came out was huge, it was an indescribable pain that resonated throughout my body."

What are your thoughts on the tragic events following the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner? Let us know. 

Also Read: Inside Sean Evans' Love Life, Melissa Stratton Fling, Keke Palmer Kiss, And Rumoured Relationships

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)