Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, died on September 20 at a luxury rehabilitation center in Santa Monica, California. The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the death as a suspected overdose, though an official cause of death remains pending.
Officers first responded to the 1000 block of Berkeley Street at approximately 9:35 a.m. Sunday following reports of a possible overdose.
Upon arrival, police found a man, later identified as Gerber, dead. The Santa Monica Police Department stated, At this time, there is no indication of foul play. The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.
Resolutions Living and the Circumstances of Admission
Gerber died at Resolutions Living, a facility located in a prestigious northern section
of Santa Monica. The facility’s website describes the house as a Mental Health Recovery Residence
that operates as part of a program offering intensive outpatient treatment and partial hospitalization for various mental health issues.
Details regarding Gerber’s admission vary across reports. Page Six was told exclusively by a source that the model checked into the Los Angeles facility “this weekend” because he knew he needed help.
Conversely, police noted that Gerber had arrived at the Resolution Living center in Santa Monica only a few hours prior to his passing.
It was also reported that he seemed to be under the influence of some substance upon his arrival at the center. A source familiar with the investigation told TMZ that Gerber was found in a bedroom near the bed, rather than on it, inside the room on Sunday night. 911 audio obtained by Page Six indicates that Gerber received treatment for a suspected “overdose” following cardiac arrest.
A Years-Long Struggle with Addiction and Mental Health
The tragedy follows a years-long struggle with drugs, panic attacks and his mental health. A source told Page Six that Gerber had not been doing well,
noting he always suffered from a huge lack of self-esteem and had trouble accepting his real self and feeling fully confident in who he was as a person.
The insider added that Gerber seemed a little off in recent weeks,
like something was just not there,
and that energetically, he didn’t seem like himself.
They further pointed out that Presley felt like he was lacking purpose in his life,
hadn’t really found his place
and didn’t really know where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do.
Other sources reported that those around Presley had grown concerned before he entered rehab. A source told the Daily Mail that he was really thin and pale
and that his face was gaunt.
Family Support and Background
Cindy Crawford, 60, and Rande Gerber, 64, had reportedly been trying to get their son help and encouraged him to enter rehab. A source claimed, Both his parents made him go to rehab because they knew he was using,
adding, They were not going to give up on him, so they tried another rehab center. They had so much hope.
The source further stated, He was in and out of rehab all the time; they spent a fortune to try to get him to fly right.
Gerber worked as a model like his mother and younger sister, actor Kaia Gerber. In 2018, Crawford and Presley, who was 18 at the time, re-created her iconic 1992 Pepsi ad for Super Bowl LII. Crawford told CBS at the time, Just as a mother, we drove to work together that day and we shared the same trailer. And when he was doing his thing, I was just a proud mom watching from the sidelines, trying not to annoy him.
His father, Rande Gerber, is a well-known businessman who co-founded the Casamigos tequila brand with George Clooney.
Allie Jenkins, a spokesperson for Rande Gerber and Crawford, who wed in 1998, confirmed the death. A statement from the family’s publicist said, The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.
Police Investigation and Medical Findings
The Santa Monica Police Department stated there is no indication of foul play, but law enforcement sources told The Times that detectives are trying to trace the supplier of the drugs that Gerber fatally overdosed on. Sources also told TMZ that fentanyl has not been identified as a factor in the ongoing investigation. Additionally, it was reported that Gerber had allegedly been prescribed ketamine by a doctor, even though he was said to have a regular problem
with the drug.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office conducted an autopsy Monday. However, the office deferred a cause and manner of death pending toxicology results for substances in Gerber’s system, a process expected to take several weeks, if not months.
The presence of the luxury center has been a point of contention for residents. A neighbor who lives two doors down from the facility told the Daily Mail, “I saw the ambulance Sunday morning. It’s really sad, but it’s not the first time there have been ambulances here. It’s a rehab facility, what do you expect? No one wanted a rehab, halfway-house on our block, but there was really nothing we could do about it.”