Bill Cosby, the 88-year-old disgraced actor/comedian and resident of Elkins Park (Cheltenham Township), has issued statements regarding the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner on Sunday, July 20 following an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica, according to ABC News and The Associated Press.

Warner, 54, starred alongside Cosby on the family sitcom “The Cosby Show”. Costa Rican National Police confirmed to ABC News that he died after being caught by a high current in the water while swimming near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica.

“He was always a great studier, and I enjoyed working with him very much,” Cosby told ABC News. “He always knew his part. … He always knew his lines, and he always knew where to go.”

Cosby last spoke to Warner three weeks ago, according to USA Today, noting that he and Warner maintained a close relationship long after the show ended.

“You could depend on Malcolm always going to uh the shelter, to learn his lines, to gather his character to come out and be ready. When the news came, it was shocking. And of course, my thoughts went straight to his mother, who worked so hard. She was so wonderful with him,” Cosby told 6ABC.

You can also listen to an audio recording of Cosby’s comments provided to Hypersclub.com below:

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Photo: Alan Singer/NBCUniversal via Getty Images