The Sunday death of Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, is being investigated as a “suspected overdose,” police said.
Santa Monica police said they responded to a report of a possible overdose around 9:35 a.m., and when they arrived, officers found a deceased male. Online records of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner stated that Gerber died at a “rehab facility.”
“SMPD detectives are investigating the death as a suspected overdose,” the police statement said. “At this time, there is no indication of foul play.”
The investigation remains ongoing, police added.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said an exam was completed Monday “and the cause and manner of death have been deferred, which means additional testing and/or studies were requested in order to make a determination.”
“Due to the ongoing death investigation, the DME cannot disclose what testing and/or studies were requested,” the medical examiner’s office said in a statement.
A brief statement on behalf of Gerber’s family asked for “privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
Gerber is the eldest child of supermodel Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, who married in 1998. He and his younger sister, Kaia, are both professional models and have been featured in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein, among others.
At 18, Gerber appeared alongside his mother in a 2018 ad recreating her iconic 1992 Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi.
Cindy Crawford and Randy Gerber with their children, Kaia and Presley, in London in 2018. Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images
He and his sister have spoken about their mother giving them professional space.
“She has never lived vicariously through us,” Kaia Gerber said in a family interview with “TODAY” last year.
“You are so not a stage mom,” she added about her mother.
Gerber had posted online frequently about his struggles with depression and addiction. He instigated a program called “Mental Health Mondays” on his Instagram account, where he spoke openly about his struggles. He said he hoped to “spark real conversations about the stuff most people hide.”
In November, he wrote that he “had to step back and take care of my own mental health for a bit.”
In an interview with Vogue magazine last month, his sister spoke about his struggles.
“My parents for most of our lives were very, very private and didn’t share anything — and now we have this absolute teacher, my brother, who says, ‘I’m gonna be very human for everyone,’” she said. “There’s only so much you can hide from the world. And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you’re ashamed of them.”
In July, for her son’s 27th birthday, Crawford posted two images online featuring Gerber as a child and as a young teenager, writing: “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, but I’ll always see you as my little boy! Love you.”
Tributes poured in, with many of Gerber’s celebrity friends remembering him for his “beautiful soul.”
“I’m completely heartbroken,” Paris Hilton wrote in an Instagram Story. “I still can’t believe this is real.”
She said Gerber had “a beautiful soul” and was “so sweet, sensitive, kind and genuine.”
“I cared about you so much, and I’m going to miss you more than words can say,” Hilton posted. “I’ll always cherish the memories we shared — the laughs, the conversations, and just being around you. You had such a gentle heart and there was something so special about you that anyone who was lucky enough to know you could feel. I hope you knew how deeply loved you were and how many people cared about you.”
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham also went online to express how “heartbroken” he was over Gerber’s death.
“Presley you were the kindest and we are going to miss you so much x we love you,” Beckham wrote in an Instagram Story.
In an Instagram post, Jason Kennedy said the news of Gerber’s death made him “feel sick to my stomach.” He remembered him as someone who had “a huge heart.”
“He was always open about his struggles because he knew it would help others and IT DID. I always felt a close bond with you Presley, I wish we got to spend more time together,” Kennedy captioned a video of Gerber discussing his mental health challenges.
“Watching your parents love you the way they did was beautiful, I’m heartbroken for them and your whole family,” Kennedy continued. “You are at peace in Gods arms and I pray that same peace will cover all those who loved you. You were special.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in emotional distress, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For additional resources, visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.