Robert De Niro’s daughter has revealed the suspected cause of death of her son, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.
Rodriguez died on Monday (July 3) in New York at the age of 19. De Niro said that he is “deeply distressed” about losing his grandson.
Drena De Niro, De Niro’s adopted daughter, claimed on Instagram yesterday (July 5) that fentanyl-laced pills caused her son’s death.
Responding to a question about how Rodriguez had died, the 51-year-old said: “Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him.
“So for all these people still fucking around selling and buying this shit, my son is gone for ever.”
As LBC notes, the toxicology test results have not been released so the cause of Rodriguez’s death is not official.
New York police are investigating the death as a possible overdose, according to local media, and several US outlets have reported that the young actor was found with white powder and drug paraphernalia nearby.
Speaking out following his grandson’s death, De Niro said that he was “deeply distressed” and family members are “greatly appreciative of the condolences” but asked “that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo”.
Drena wrote in tribute to her son yesterday: “My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life.
“I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama.
“You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. I’m so sorry my baby, I’m so sorry @carlosmare. Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.”
Rodriguez had appeared in the Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga-starring film A Star Is Born.
Drena took De Niro’s surname after the actor he married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976. Her parents were married from 1976 to 1988, and also share a son named Raphael.
The actor recently welcomed his seventh child, Gia, in April with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen.