Robert De Niro’s grandson could possibly be fentanyl casualty, in line with mother

Robert De Niro’s daughter Drena stated that her son Leandro De Niro Rodriguez probably died final weekend after taking drugs that have been laced with fentanyl — a declare that, if true, would make him the most recent high-profile individual to die in what authorities say is a drug overdose epidemic that’s been pushed by the provision of the extremely potent artificial opioid.

“Somebody offered him fentanyl laced drugs that they knew have been laced but nonetheless offered them to him,” Drena De Niro alleged on Instagram Wednesday, in response to somebody asking how her son, 19, died over the weekend, Page Six reported. Drena De Niro railed towards all of the individuals who illegally promote and purchase fentanyl. “My son is gone eternally,” she stated.

Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, 19, was discovered lifeless Sunday in a New York Metropolis residence the place he was staying. Experiences  by TMZ and the Every day Mail stated that authorities are investigating his loss of life as a potential overdose and that medicine and drug paraphernalia have been discovered close to his physique, experiences stated.

Robert DeNiro’s 18 yr outdated grandson, Leondro, discovered lifeless alone in a Wall Avenue apt with a plate of “white powdery substance” close by. RIP 🕊😔https://t.co/Cr42kamIlc

— suzy (@Suzy_1776) July 3, 2023

It most likely will take weeks for authorities to find out whether or not he died of a drug overdose and which medicine have been concerned. Sadly, Drena De Niro’s assertion that her son could have unknowingly ingested fentanyl would could be in keeping with many documented drug overdoses that contain the opioid.

The drug is accredited by the Meals and Drug Administration to be used in severe ache aid, for instance by most cancers sufferers or individuals struggling a extreme harm. The drug is roughly 100 occasions stronger than morphine and 50 occasions stronger than heroin.

Most opioid overdoses don’t contain fentanyl that’s administered in medically acceptable settings, according to CNN. They’re attributable to fentanyl that’s offered illegally and that comes from clandestine laboratories.

As a result of fentanyl is so potent, taking even a small quantity will be lethal, stated Leana Wen, an emergency doctor and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute College of Public Well being. In an interview with CNN, Wen stated individuals will not be conscious they’re taking it as a result of drug sellers usually combine it with different illicit substances, equivalent to heroin, benzodiazepines, cocaine, MDMA  and methamphetamines.

Wen additionally stated that fentanyl will be made into tablet type, and it may be combined in with different counterfeit drugs. “Some individuals might imagine they’re taking a much less potent opioid equivalent to oxycodone, however they’re really getting fentanyl,” she added.

Fentanyl has been implicated in quite a lot of high-profile deaths lately, notably Prince in 2016, rapper Lil Peep in 2017, rapper Mac Miller in 2018 and “The Wire” actor Michael Okay. Williams in 2021. Final month, the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner’s workplace decided that the loss of life of former little one actor Adam Wealthy — who was greatest identified for his work on the Nineteen Seventies TV present “Eight is Sufficient” — was as a result of results of fentanyl and dominated his loss of life unintentional, the Associated Press reported.