Robert De Niro’s grandson’s cause of death has been determined by coroners.
Leandro De Niro Rodriguez death was confirmed on July 3 by his mother, Drena, on Instagram, who later claimed that his death was caused by taking pills that were laced with fentanyl.
Now New York City’s chief medical examiner has ruled that the 19-year-old died of an accidental overdose from a combination of illicit drugs.
According to the medical examiner’s autopsy, he died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine, as reported by TMZ.
Leandro was the son of De Niro’s eldest child, Drena, whom he shares with his first wife actor Diahnne Abbott.
In the wake of his grandson’s death, De Niro, 79, said he and his family were grateful for people’s well-wishes and requested they be given privacy.
“I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,” De Niro said in a statement.
“We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
In the days following his death, Drena took Instagram to discuss her grief, and claimed that her son had been sold “fentanyl-laced pills”.
She replied: “Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him, so for all these people still f***ing around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever.”
A woman has since been arrested in New York City in relation to selling him the drugs.
Leandro had followed in his mother and grandfather’s acting footsteps. He notably appeared alongside his mother Drena in 2018’s A Star is Born, playing the son of Dave Chapelle’s character, George ‘Noodles’ Stone.
His other acting credits included 2005’s The Collection, and 2018’s Cabaret Maxime.
De Niro adopted Drena, 51, after marrying his first wife, American actor Diahnne Abbott. The former couple also share son Raphael, 46.
