Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old model and son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, died on Sunday, September 20, at Resolutions Living, a residence in Santa Monica, California. He had checked in the night before. His toxicology results are still pending, and early reports point to a suspected overdose.
For a few days, headlines called it a “rehab.” It wasn’t.
A sober home is not a treatment center
Resolutions Living was a “sober home,” according to reporting by the New York Daily News. In California, sober living residences are not required to hold a state license, and without one they are not legally allowed to provide detox, counseling, group therapy or treatment planning. A licensed substance-use treatment facility is a different thing entirely, operating under a state license and medical oversight.
The Daily Beast reported that the house operated without doctors, nurses or licensed therapists. What it did advertise was “daily chef-prepared meals, fully stocked pantries, and a 24/7 on-site staff that will support (residents) whenever they need it,” inside a three-story home reported to be worth $7.7 million.
Chef-prepared meals and a fully stocked pantry. Not a single nurse in the building.
What has been reported since
He may have arrived impaired. TMZ reported that Presley appeared to be under the influence when he checked in on Saturday night.
A doctor was reportedly prescribing ketamine. TMZ also reported, citing people in regular contact with him, that a doctor had been prescribing him ketamine despite knowing about his history of addiction, and that close friends believe that doctor should face prosecution. The doctor has not been named. The comparison everyone is making is to Matthew Perry, who was prescribed ketamine before his 2023 death.
The founder’s own record. The home’s founder is a psychologist who pleaded no contest to drug charges in 2002. His psychology registration later came with five years of probation and orders to abstain from alcohol and controlled substances, according to records reported by the Daily Beast and the New York Daily News.
Resolutions Living could not be reached for comment, according to the New York Daily News.
To be fair
The cause of death has not been released, and nothing in the reporting so far proves what happened that night or whether anything would have changed it. Sober homes play a real role in recovery: for many people, a structured, substance-free place to live is exactly the right step after treatment. The problem is when a sober home is used as a substitute for treatment, for someone who needed medical monitoring, and when families don’t know the difference.
The founder’s convictions are more than twenty years old, and people in recovery, including clinicians, rebuild careers every day. His history is part of the story because he ran the house, not because it explains the death.
If you’re choosing a place for someone you love
Nurses already know this, but families usually don’t. Before anyone checks in, ask:
1. Is this place licensed by the state to provide treatment, or is it a residence?
2. Is there a nurse or physician on site, and at what hours?
3. Who checks on residents overnight, and how often?
4. What happens if someone arrives intoxicated or is still withdrawing?
5. Is naloxone on site, and is every staff member trained to use it?
If the answers are vague, the place may be a very nice house. That’s not the same as care.
Now we want to hear from you
Someone arrives at a recovery house visibly high on a Saturday night, and there isn’t a single clinician in the building. Who was supposed to be watching him?
Tell us in the comments, and send this to someone who works in addiction or psych.
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This article summarizes public reporting on an ongoing investigation. The cause of death has not been released, and reported allegations have not been proven. The photo used with this story is illustrative and does not show the actual property. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free and confidential at 1-800-662-4357.
Sources
The Daily Beast, “Criminal Past of Man Behind ‘Rehab’ Where Presley Gerber Died Revealed,” September 25, 2026 — thedailybeast.com
New York Daily News (via Union-Bulletin), “Presley Gerber died in a ‘sober home,’ not a licensed rehab clinic,” September 24, 2026 — union-bulletin.com
TMZ, “Presley Gerber Appeared Under the Influence When He Checked Into Rehab Facility,” September 21, 2026 — tmz.com
TMZ, “Presley Gerber’s Doctor Was Giving Him Ketamine, Sources Say,” September 22, 2026 —
