Overview
- Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, 19, died in July 2023 from an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and other substances, according to the New York City Chief Medical Examiner.
- Drena De Niro said in new interviews that online influences, mentioning TikTok, played a role in her son’s rapid shift from partying to harder drugs.
- She said Leandro had been considering returning to rehab after a prior negative experience and that he wanted help.
- Federal authorities arrested five people in October in a case alleging a ring that sold counterfeit fentanyl‑laced pills linked to multiple overdoses; Drena called the development “bittersweet.”
- She and Robert De Niro launched the Leandro De Niro Rodriguez Foundation to expand access to care for young people and families affected by the fentanyl crisis.