The investigation surrounding Presley Gerber is developing as authorities work to determine what happened during the final hours of the 27-year-old model’s life at a rehabilitation facility in Santa Monica.
Presley, the only son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, was found unresponsive at the facility on Sunday, September 20. Santa Monica police responded to a call involving a cardiac arrest at approximately 9:35 a.m., with dispatch information also indicating a possible overdose.
Officers and emergency personnel arrived at the facility, where Presley was found unresponsive. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures before he was pronounced at the scene at approximately 9:45 a.m., according to information from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Authorities have since described the case as a suspected overdose investigation, but that does not mean an overdose has been officially established as the cause.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has completed an autopsy, but the official cause and manner have been deferred while additional testing is carried out. Officials have said those additional studies could take several months before a final determination is available.
That distinction is important as investigators continue examining what happened inside the facility.
Police are looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident
According to Santa Monica police, there is currently no indication of foul play.
Detectives are nevertheless investigating the possibility that drugs were involved and are working to establish how Presley may have obtained any substance that could have contributed to the incident.
Reports indicate investigators have spoken with people who were staying at the facility as they attempt to reconstruct the hours leading up to the emergency call. Authorities are also examining whether any substance involved was prescribed or obtained from another source.
For now, police have not announced a suspect or indicated that anyone has been arrested in connection with the investigation.
The case therefore remains focused on determining what happened, rather than on a confirmed explanation for Presley’s passing.
Presley had entered treatment shortly before the incident
Another significant detail has emerged about the days leading up to the emergency.
Page Six reported that Presley had voluntarily entered the rehabilitation facility only days before the incident. Sources described him as seeking help and attempting to work through long-running personal struggles.
The facility, located in Santa Monica, provides treatment for mental health and addiction-related issues.
According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, Presley had checked into the facility at approximately 10 p.m. Saturday, September 19 — only hours before emergency responders were called Sunday morning.
That short period has become an important part of the timeline investigators are examining.
What happened between his arrival Saturday night and the emergency call Sunday morning remains under investigation.
A history Presley had spoken about publicly
Presley had previously been open about struggles involving substance use and mental health.
Rather than keeping those experiences entirely private, he had discussed them publicly in interviews and on social media, sometimes describing his efforts to find treatment and make changes in his life.
In a 2023 podcast appearance, Presley spoke about his experiences with depression and mental health challenges and explained that he hoped sharing what he had gone through could eventually help other people facing similar difficulties.
He also discussed addiction and recovery in later years.
Earlier in 2026, Presley shared details about undergoing an ibogaine treatment in Mexico, describing the experience as difficult but expressing hope that it could help him move forward. His family publicly supported his efforts at the time.
Those earlier efforts are now being revisited as investigators try to understand the circumstances surrounding the latest incident.
However, previous struggles should not be treated as proof of what happened on September 20. The official medical findings are still pending.
His family is asking for privacy
Presley’s family has asked for privacy as they navigate the situation.
His parents, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, have not publicly discussed the details of the investigation. Presley was also the older brother of model and actress Kaia Gerber.
The family has requested space while authorities continue their work and while relatives and friends process the loss.
Presley had remained connected to the fashion world after beginning his modeling career as a teenager. He worked with major brands and appeared alongside his mother and sister in various fashion and entertainment projects.
But in recent years, his public story had increasingly included conversations about personal growth, recovery and mental health.
What investigators still need to establish
Several important questions remain unanswered.
What substance, if any, was involved?
How did Presley obtain it?
Was the substance prescribed to him or obtained elsewhere?
What happened during the hours after he arrived at the facility?
And what will the additional medical testing reveal?
At this stage, authorities have not publicly provided definitive answers.
The autopsy has been completed, but the Medical Examiner has deferred the official cause while additional testing continues. That means the current description of a suspected overdose remains an investigative theory rather than a final medical conclusion.
There is also no current indication from police that foul play was involved.
As the investigation continues, detectives are expected to review available evidence and speak with people who may have information about Presley’s final hours at the facility.
For now, the most significant development is that authorities are still working to establish exactly what happened.
Presley Gerber was 27.
He had spent years in the public eye, first through modeling and later through his willingness to speak about challenges that many people experience privately.
His family is now asking for privacy while investigators and medical examiners work toward answers.
Until the additional testing is complete, the exact circumstances surrounding Presley’s passing remain unresolved.