Robert De Niros Daughter Drena Details Son Leandros Downward Spiral Fueled By TikTok Before His Death At 19

Robert De Niro’s daughter Drena has shed new light on her son Leandro’s drug addiction and shocking death at age 19.

Leandro passed away from an accidental fentanyl overdose in July 2023, and last month, five people were arrested in connection with his death.

Now, his mom Drena, 58, has opened up about her son’s battle with addiction, tellingPage Sixthat she knew her son ‘liked to smoke weed, party and have a good time.’

But she said a combination of ‘TikTok’ and ‘the pandemic’ led to him becoming addicted to opioids.

‘There was a change in him that was so fast… He got messed up so fast that I knew something wasn’t right here, and I knew it had something to do with what he was doing on the internet,’ she said.

She said Leandro had tried to get help before his death by going to rehab, but added, ‘It did a terrible disservice to him.’

‘That was very sad to me because he wanted help. He knew he was over his head,’ she continued.

‘I don’t think he even knew why. I think he had been exposed to much harder drugs that he didn’t know about.’

Drena also spoke about the day her son died, explaining that she felt ‘completely distressed’ but ‘had no idea why.’

‘I woke up, and I was just physically a mess. I couldn’t concentrate… I was so worked up,’ she said.

‘And that’s when the doorbell rang. This detective stood there, and the whole world as I knew it collapsed.’

On October 30, prosecutors announced the arrests of five men: Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas, accused of running a New York City drug ring that supplied counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl to teenagers and young adults. They have plead not guilty.

According to the federal indictment, the group allegedly distributed thousands of fake prescription pills.

US Drug Enforcement Administration reported that one of the victims, identified as ‘victim three’ in the indictment is Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, who was found dead inside a $950,000 apartment in the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street on July 2, 2023.

The court filing alleges that a female dealer, identified as ‘CC-1,’ sold Leandro ‘a mix of fentanyl pills and Xanax’ in the week leading up to his death and even warned him to be cautious.

‘I don’t want to kill you,’ she allegedly texted him, adding: ‘Do you really need them… (I don’t) wanna kill you.’

When Leandro seemed confused, replying, ‘Huh? Elaborate,’ the dealer wrote back: ‘What’s confusing about that?’

He responded: ‘Sorry I be mad paranoid … I misinterpreted this,’ to which she replied, ‘I just don’t like serving them ’cause they not script (prescription),’ according to the indictment.

Leandro ultimately purchased three fentanyl pills and two Xanax for $105.

The drugs were allegedly delivered by car service to a friend’s downtown apartment on June 30. At 1:50am on July 2, the dealer texted him ‘you good?’ He never responded, according to the indictment.

Later that morning, Leandro was found lifeless in a chair with a plate of white powder beside him.

Drena described the arrests as ‘really strange’ and ‘so bittersweet,’ adding, ‘You don’t feel any happier.’

‘I’m hoping they do get some justice. If you’re going to sell drugs to young people, it doesn’t matter whether you made it, whether you know or didn’t know, you’re taking a chance,’ she stated. ‘(But) I’m not interested in ruining some 24-year-old’s life.’