Drena De Niro, the daughter of the actor Robert De Niro, has come forward to reveal the alleged cause of her son Leandro's untimely death last week.
Drena, a well-known filmmaker herself, made the heartbreaking announcement of her 19-year-old son's passing on Sunday via Instagram.
In a poignant post, she shared her deep loss and love for her son, "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 don’t know how to live without you."
Screen legend Robert De Niro, deeply distressed by the tragic loss of his grandson, requested privacy in a statement on Monday, "We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
Taking to Instagram to respond to a commenter who asked how her young son died, grieving mom Drena alleged that the cause of his death was due to pills tainted with fentanyl.
She said: "Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him."
She expressed her anguish and anger towards those dealing in these deadly substances, saying, "For all these people still f***ing around selling and buying this s**t, my son is gone forever."
Fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, is a highly potent synthetic opioid drug sanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration for pain relief and as an anesthetic.
The power of this drug surpasses that of both morphine and heroin, being approximately 100 times and 50 times more potent respectively. The DEA warns that "Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose."
The Daily Mail cites a police source who revealed that a "white powdery substance" was found near the body, though Drena did not initially provide specifics about the cause of Leandro's death.
The pain was shared by Leandro's father, renowned sculptor Carlos "Mare" Rodriguez, who shared a heartfelt tribute to his son on social media.
He wrote: "If you knew him you would know. Our families and friends will grieve but never forget him. Leo was a passionate young man, he loved his family and friends, he was loved his life and was curious about the world.
"Leo was a prolific and talented high level programmer who wanted to find a purposeful use with his talents beyond the social media calamity he didn’t care for. Like his parents he loved art and artists, he was comfortable in this tribe.
"Leo loved to travel the world he was a seeker who on his own explored many countries to break bread with strangers and to delve into philosophical thinking about thing’s beyond his age.
"He was also a young man with his own story and journey unknown to us and his friends, for it is at this age and time where a young heart seeks its place."