New details in Presley Gerber’s death case hint at Ketamine; sources point to doctor reportedly prescribing the substance

Three days after Presley Gerber’s death via suspected overdose, fresh details have emerged regarding the model’s struggles. Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s 27 year old son died at a rehabilitation facility in California. On September 22, TMZ reported that Gerber’s doctor had been allegedly prescribing him ketamine despite being aware of his drug abuse issues.

As per the outlet, citing people in regular contact with Gerber and who had direct knowledge of the matter, ketamine had become a persistent problem for Gerber. The sources cited by TMZ also noted that some of Gerber's close friends were angry about the prescribing and believe the doctor should face prosecution.

Importantly, details on what substances were in Gerber's system when he died or the official cause of his death have still not been disclosed. Therefore, the report about his alleged ketamine prescription does not establish that ketamine caused or contributed to his death.

Presley Gerber's death remains under investigation

As per The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner report, Gerber was pronounced dead at 9:45 am on September 20, 2026, after responding paramedics arrived. An examination was performed by a deputy medical examiner but due to additional tests being required, the disclosure of cause and manner of death has been deferred.

The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the death. The Los Angeles Times reported that police were investigating an apparent overdose and attempting to determine the potential source of drugs, while authorities had found no indication of foul play at that stage.

What is known about ketamine

Ketamine is categorized as a controlled substance in the United States despite being a legal prescription medicine. It classifies as a Schedule III substance as per the DEA, a category covering drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.

The FDA says approved ketamine products such as Ketalar are indicated as anesthetics and are not FDA-approved for treating psychiatric disorders. A related drug, esketamine, is FDA-approved for certain forms of treatment-resistant depression and carries strong safety warnings concerning sedation, dissociation, respiratory depression, abuse and misuse.