Robert De Niro opens up about his grandson’s fatal overdose: ‘It shouldn’t have happened’

Robert De Niro is still mourning the death of his grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodríguez.

The actor shared as much in an interview with People published Wednesday and said he was “in disbelief” when he heard the “horrible” news.

Rodriguez died of an accidental overdose in New York City last summer at the age of 19. He was the son of Drena De Niro, the adopted daughter of Robert De Niro.

“It’s just a shock,” said Robert De Niro. “(I) never thought this would happen.”

“And at that moment I started thinking about all the things I could have done, maybe should have done with him,” she continued. “I don’t know if that would have made a difference. And that’s always on my mind. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

Drena De Niro announced the news of Rodríguez’s death in a emotional post on instagram on July 2, writing, “I don’t know how to live without you.” She had starred in several films with Rodriguez, including “A Star is Born” (2018), before he was found dead.

Shortly afterward he revealed the cause of his death when someone left a comment on Instagram asking about the matter.

“Someone sold him pills with fentanyl that they knew were laced and they still sold them to him, so for all these people who keep fucking around selling and buying this shit, my son is gone forever,” Drena De Niro said.

Later that month, the alleged dealer, Sofia Marks, was arrested and federally charged with drug distribution.

Marks was reportedly arrested during an undercover operation conducted by the New York Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the US Department of Homeland Security on July 13. According to criminal complaintHe had 156 fake oxycodone pills and $1,500 on him at the time.

“At least one of Marks’ counterfeit pills was purchased and taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. said in an accompanying statement. “The arrest was critical because, as we allege, Marks knew the pills could kill and he continued to sell them anyway.”

In August, New York City’s chief medical examiner confirmed that Rodriguez died from the “toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine.” according to TMZ.

Rodriguez’s death came just months after “Euphoria” star Angus Cloud died of an accidental overdose at age 25. Dana Carvey’s son, Dex Carvey, also died of a fentanyl-related overdose at age 32 in November.

According to the Centers for Disease ControlThe number of drug overdose deaths in 2021 was more than six times higher than in 1999: more than 75% of the 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021 involved an opioid.

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