California Clears Sober Home Following Presley Gerber’s Death

The Department of Health Care Services opened its inquiry on September 23, three days after Gerber’s death, to determine if the property was operating as an unlicensed substance use disorder treatment center. An outside advocate had filed the complaint, alleging the home may have accepted a resident requiring a higher level of care than the facility was legally permitted to provide. State investigators ultimately determined these claims were unsubstantiated, officially closing the matter without identifying any regulatory breaches.

While the state review focused strictly on licensing, a separate police investigation into the circumstances of the death remains active. The $7.7 million Santa Monica property, founded by Dr. Reza Nabavi in 2013, had hosted Gerber for less than 24 hours before he was found. As authorities continue to examine the case, which has been treated as a suspected overdose, the Gerber family—including Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, and Kaia Gerber—have publicly mourned the loss of a son and brother whose struggles with mental health and addiction were known throughout his career.