Robert De Niro's grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez died of an accidental drug overdose, multiple reports say.
On Tuesday, the New York City chief medical examiner's office told Rolling Stone and CBS News that the 19-year-old died from the "toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine."
Leandro was the son of De Niro's adopted daughter, Drena De Niro, and the artist Carlos Rodriguez. He was found unconscious and unresponsive on July 2 in an apartment in downtown Manhattan and pronounced dead on the scene.
Several days after his death, Drena revealed on Instagram that her son's death was drug-related.
"Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him," she wrote. "So for all these people still fucking around selling and buying this shit, my son is gone forever."
In mid-July, a 20-year-old woman named Sofia Haley Marks was arrested on federal drug charges in connection with Leandro's death, ABC News reported.
Marks was charged with one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam, and two counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. Each charge carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that's 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It's one of the top substances driving overdose deaths in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The illegal substance is highly addictive, and it may be added to other drugs to cheaply increase potency and keep consumers hooked. Since fentanyl lacks an odor or taste, some drug users don't know what they're dealing with until it's too late.
In a statement to USA Today shortly after Leandro's death, Robert De Niro asked that his family be given privacy.
The 79-year-old actor said: "We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
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