Malcolm-Jamal Warner‘s body will soon return to Los Angeles after his body was released to his family following the completion of an autopsy … TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the actor’s remains were turned over by the Judicial Morgue on Wednesday morning, following the completion of his autopsy. We’re told Warner’s body is scheduled to leave Costa Rica on Thursday and will arrive in Los Angeles on Friday morning.

We are told the U.S. Embassy is working with the family on returning the body to the United States.

A source with direct knowledge tells us the actor had been in Costa Rica with his daughter for a home-schooling program. We’re told his wife had been in the country with them a few weeks prior to his death, but she was not in Costa Rica at the time of his drowning.

According to our sources, Malcolm’s wife learned of his passing through a phone call.

TMZ broke the story … Warner died at 54 from an accidental drowning while visiting Costa Rica with his daughter. There were no lifeguards on duty at the beach where Warner drowned. He was pulled from the water without vital signs and could not be resuscitated.

The Costa Rican Red Cross tells us the 29-year-old Nicaraguan man who was transported in relation to the drowning incident involving Malcolm was treated and discharged without complications.