Actor Robert De Niro’s daughter, Drena De Niro, revealed her son Leandro De Niro Rodriguez’s cause of death.
On Tuesday, Drena De Niro responded to a comment left by an Instagram user who inquired how he died.
“Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him so for all these people still f**king around selling and buying this sh*t, my son is gone forever,” she replied.
The interaction was made under a post announcing the news of his passing.
“It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we are given privacy at this time to process this inconsolable grief,” the post reads.
Leandro De Niro Rodriguez was 19 years old.
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According to the Associated Press, New York City police wrote that “an 18-year-old male was found unconscious, unresponsive, and was pronounced deceased by EMS on scene.”
TMZ reported drug paraphernalia was found near his body.
In another post, Drena De Niro paid tribute to her son whom she described as “kindness,” “acceptance,” and “love.”
“Leo my darling I love you today like the first day I held you in my arms,” she wrote. “The same man that picked us up from the hospital when you were born drove us to the funeral home where I touched and held you for the last time.”
She added, “And I can’t believe any of this is real YOU made everything bearable and every burden lighter. You didn’t deserve to die like this but I can only believe that God needed a strong powerful angel in their army.”
Following the death of his grandson, Robert De Niro gave a statement to Fox News Digital.
“I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone,” he said.
The actor concluded, “We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
