A woman has been arrested in connection with the sudden death of Robert De Niro's grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.
Earlier this month, the late 19-year-old's mom, Drena De Niro - who is the daughter of the 79-year-old Hollywood icon and actress Diahnne Abbott - took to Instagram to share a heartbreaking statement regarding her son.
"My beautiful sweet angel," the grieving mom wrote. "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," she continued.
"You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you," the Welcome to New York actress said. "I’m so sorry my baby. Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy."
Drena did not share the cause of Leandro's death in her poignant post until a few days later when she responded to a commenter who asked how her young son died. She alleged that the cause of his death was due to pills tainted with fentanyl.
"Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him," she penned, before expressing her anguish and anger towards those dealing in these deadly substances. "For all these people still f***ing around selling and buying this s**t, my son is gone forever," she added.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid drug sanctioned by the Food and Drug Administration for pain relief and as an anesthetic.
The Daily Mail also noted that a police source claimed that a "white powdery substance" was found near Leo's body.
Due to Leo's suspected overdose death, which has not been officially confirmed yet, a 20-year-old woman named Sofia Haley Marks - who is an alleged drug dealer known as the "Percocet Princess" - has been apprehended by police, as reported by The New York Post.
Police sources revealed that Marks allegedly sold the late teenager the substances before he was found dead in his Financial District apartment on July 2.
The insider alleged that she was arrested around 6PM on Thursday (July 13) during an undercover sting operation conducted by the NYPD, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security.
The outlet also noted that she has been federally charged with the distribution of narcotics and is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Friday (July 14) morning.
Leo was laid to rest on July 6 at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on the Upper East Side. De Niro attended the service with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen and their three-month-old daughter Gia.
Graffiti artist Carlos Rodriguez and longtime friends and former co-stars Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel, and Michael Imperioli were also seen at the event as per photos released by Page Six.
The Goodfellas star told the outlet in a statement that he was "deeply distressed" by the death of his "beloved grandson," adding: "We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
Our hearts go out to the family during this incredibly difficult time.