Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old model and son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, died on Sunday, September 20, at a rehab facility in Los Angeles. His death is being treated as a suspected overdose, Santa Monica Police detectives have confirmed, adding that there is no indication of foul play at this time.
Police statement and investigation
In a statement, police said: "The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner." The investigation remains ongoing.
According to a recording obtained by PEOPLE, Santa Monica Police received a call on September 20 for a cardiac arrest. A subsequent dispatch revealed that first responders were responding to an overdose at the Los Angeles address.
Location and family response
Responders were dispatched to an address in the 1000 block of Berkeley St, where Gerber reportedly lived with several people. Sources told TMZ that the 27-year-old had been staying in a separate house on the grounds of the LA area rehab facility.
"The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time," a representative for the family told TMZ.
Gerber's public battle with addiction
Six months before his death, Gerber revealed that he had been trying an experimental new treatment to help him battle his addiction. In a video posted to Instagram in March, he can be seen about to undergo an "ibogaine flood dose" in the Mexican city of Cancun. The experimental treatment, which can be used to treat addiction, involves using a naturally occurring psychedelic. The highly controlled treatment is not legal to prescribe in the US but is legal to possess and administer in Mexico.
"Quiet moment before everything changed," Gerber wrote alongside the video. "I was absolutely terrified, and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this." He added that he was "praying" it was the last time he would have to come back to rehab, before giving thanks to the "incredible" team helping him at the unit.
Gerber had been open with his struggles in recent years, after he was arrested in 2019 for driving under the influence. He told the Studio 22 podcast in 2023: "[Mental health] is an issue. It is such a big part of my life. It’s a 24/7 job, and there’s so much to it." He shared that he was on 1mg of Buprenorphine – used to treat both pain and opioid use disorders – twice a day to try and elevate his pain.
Family reflections
Earlier this month, sister Kaia opened up on her brother's health struggles to Vogue. "When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone. I think that’s also why I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help. Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needing."
The 25-year-old praised her brother for being so forthcoming with 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.’ There’s only so much you can hide from the world."
While mother Cindy did not speak publicly about her son's struggles, she commented on a post where he opened up seeking experimental treatment and commended him as a warrior.
