- Robert De Niro's grandson's cause of death
has been confirmed.
The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner
confirmed, to NBC News on Tuesday,
the 19-year-old Leandro De Niro died from the quote,
"toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam,
alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine."
His manner of death has been ruled an accident.
News broke of Leandro's untimely passing early last month.
The New York City Police Department
told NBC News that the teen had been found
unconscious on July 2 in Manhattan,
and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following his death, his grandfather, Robert De Niro,
expressed his heartache.
He told NBC News, in a statement the following day,
"I'm deeply distressed by the passing
of my beloved grandson, Leo.
We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone.
We ask that we please be given privacy
to grieve our loss of Leo."
Robert's daughter, Drena De Niro,
also grieved the loss of Leandro.
She wrote, in part, on Instagram on the day of her son's death,
"my beautiful sweet angel, I have loved you
beyond words or description from the moment I
felt you in my belly.
You have been my joy, my heart, and all that was
ever pure and real in my life.
I wish I was with you right now.
I wish I was with you.
I don't know how to live without you.
But I'll try to go on and spread the love
and light that you so made me feel
in getting to be your mama.
You were so deeply loved and appreciated.
And I wish that Love alone could have saved you."
Last week, Drena shared a tribute to Leandro one
month after his death.
She wrote on Instagram, "today marks one
whole month without my baby.
I think of you and long for you every minute of every day.
Never forget how happy you made so
many people just by being here and being beautiful,
kind-hearted you.
Your legacy is love.
Hashtag #can'tspelllovewithoutleo,
hashtag #fentanylkills.
The heartbreaking news of Leandro's death
came just one month after Robert De Niro spoke
to "Access Hollywood" at the 2023 Tribeca
Festival, which he co-founded.
You are all celebrating 30 years of "A Bronx
Tale" with a screening.
I'm curious.
Do you watch your movies, both of you, very often?
ROBERT DE NIRO: No, I haven't seen
"Bronx Tale" for many years.
But I'm really curious, and just want to go through
the experience of seeing it at the Beacon-- which is a great
theater, beautiful theater--
with an audience-- [? since ?] that
hasn't happened in the last few years, for obvious reasons.
So I'm really looking forward to it
and then sitting down and talking, after, about it.
- I watched it recently because we
did an interview for the Blu-Ray that's coming out in September.
So--
- Getting that.
- Yeah, exactly.
- We're also extremely excited.
I'm sure it's much easier to watch
your films when they come with a nine-minute standing ovation--
[LAUGHTER]
--at Cannes.
But I want to ask you-- [? where ?] "Killers,"
obviously, everyone's talking about.
But what do you remember about this little boy--
ROBERT DE NIRO: Oh, there he is.
- Sweetie.
ROBERT DE NIRO: Well, there it is.
What can I say?
Yeah.
- You can keep that too.
It's a gift.
ROBERT DE NIRO: Leo doesn't look too happy there.
I think I was mistreating him as a stepfather.
No, I'm so proud of Leo.
He's doing great.
It was finally a time that we could
do a movie together, this film.
And I hope that we can do another--
at least another movie together with [? Marty. ?]
It was a great experience.