According to ABC News, Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s eight-year-old daughter was with him on Sunday, when he drowned at a beach in Costa Rica.

Surfers reportedly spotted the actor and father of one while struggling to swim to shore with his child. 

One surfer then used his surfboard to quickly rescue the daughter, while a volunteer lifeguard pulled Warner and another bystander, both caught in the dangerous riptides, to shore. 

According to police statements, Warner was then given CPR for roughly 45 minutes before being pronounced dead.

After news of Warner’s death spread across the internet and social media, it was assumed that he was swimming alone. 

The 54-year-old Emmy-nominated actor was best known for his portrayal of Theo Huxtable in eight seasons of “The Cosby Show,” from 1985 to 1992. From co-starring with comedian Eddie Griffin on “Malcolm & Eddie,” to narrating the Magic School Bus and directing episodes of Nickelodeon’s “All That,” Warner was an industry titan with several iconic roles and accolades. 

Many former colleagues and friends have shared news of his death with heartfelt condolences. 

“He was the big brother. He was a beacon,” Raven Symoné said in a recent social media post. “He was one of the most multifaceted, talented men—so gentle,” she said through tears. “And my heart and soul and hugs and kisses go out to his daughter and his wife and his mother.”

On Instagram, Tracee Ellis Ross, who starred opposite him in BET’s "Reed Between the Lines,” shared: 

“My heart is so so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant.”

The official cause of Warner’s death is "asphyxiation by submersion" and is considered accidental.