The father of Robert De Niro’s late grandson, Leandro, paid tribute to the 18-year-old after his death on Sunday.
Carlos Rodriguez, 58, was seen arriving at his ex-partner Drena’s home in New York City on Monday.
Leandro was found unconscious in a $1 million home with a white powdery substance on a plate near his body, police told DailyMail.com.
His father, a famous graffiti artist, and his ex-wife Drena, 51, shared a statement on Instagram on Monday reacting to Leandro’s untimely passing.
“It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we be given privacy this time to process this inconsolable grief.
Carlos Rodriguez was seen arriving at his ex-partner’s home in New York City following the tragic death of their 18-year-old son Leandro on Sunday
“You can’t spell love without Leo,” Carlos added captioning the post, with sweet photos of Leandro
In a statement today, Robert De Niro said, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo.” (He is pictured with Carlos and Leandro)
“You can’t spell love without Leo,” Carlos captioned the post, which featured adorable photos of Leandro at different ages.
Carlos was pictured wearing a suit outside the West Village home of Leandro’s mother Drena, who was adopted as a child by the Oscar-winning actor.
He wore a dark blue baseball cap to match his shirt and made it into a necklace.
The grieving father had previously shared a post on Drena’s Instagram.
Words are not enough to express the joy he has given us or the loss we must now endure with our families and friends. He is God’s child now. On this full moon, his mind illuminates what could not be seen in the dark,’ he said.
On Monday after the news, several flower deliveries were also delivered to Drena’s home.
Earlier on Monday, De Niro broke his silence over the death of his grandson.
In a statement today, the actor said: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo.
“We are extremely grateful for everyone’s condolences. We ask for privacy to mourn our loss of Leo.’
Drena announced Leandro’s death on Instagram, saying, “I wish only love could have saved you.”
The teen’s lifeless body was found sitting in a chair in a $950,000 one-bedroom apartment at the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street.
A police source tells DailyMail.com that the substance was found near his body and there were no signs of trauma. He was found by a friend who had not heard from him for several days and was checking on him, a police source told TMZ.
The janitor at 55 Wall Street confirmed that Leandro lived in the building.
He lived alone in the luxurious sixth-floor apartment, renting the unit for less than a year, he said. The apartment is located in the same stone building as Cipriani, a luxury event venue.
He described Leandro as a friendly young man who always said hello when he came and went.
Leandro and his mother Drena are pictured in one of the images the grieving parents shared on Monday
Leandro was found on Sunday by a friend who had not heard from him for several days and was checking on him, police said
The teen’s lifeless body was found sitting in a chair in a $950,000 one-bedroom apartment at the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street
Drena was adopted by De Niro and took his last name after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976
“I saw him every now and then and he always said hello,” the caretaker said. “He was just friendly, to himself.”
“I didn’t know who he was until I read the story,” he said. ‘It’s a tragedy. I just spoke to my colleague who said my daughter just turned 20. See his (Leandro’s) picture, he was a baby.’
The janitor said he had never seen De Niro in the apartment.
Residents of the building, right next to the Wall Street subway stop, told DailyMail.com they saw an ambulance and a fire truck arrive on an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon.
They didn’t know what had happened until news broke Monday morning that De Niro’s grandson had been found unconscious in his apartment.
Aspiring actor and director Leandro followed in his mother’s and grandfather’s footsteps, landing a small role in 2018’s A Star Is Born as the son of Bradley Cooper’s best friend, George ‘Noodles’ Stone, played by Dave Chappelle. He was also seen in Cabaret Maxime in 2018.
Drena was adopted by De Niro and took his last name after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.
She lived a relatively transient lifestyle thanks to her father’s vibrant career, dividing her time between New York City, Los Angeles, and Italy.
Drena dropped out of school and decided to explore the arts, turning her hand to a slew of career paths including model, DJ and fashion consultant.
She eventually decided to follow in De Niro’s footsteps and quickly found her footing as an actress and filmmaker.
Aspiring actor and director Leandro followed in his mother’s and grandfather’s footsteps and landed a small role in 2018’s A Star Is Born
Drena announced Leandro’s death on Instagram, saying ‘I wish only love could have saved you’
De Niro split with Drena’s mother in 1988, but the Hollywood A-lister nevertheless remained in her life.
She made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed Leandro with her then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez.
Drena, who currently lives in New York, has since turned her attention to directing and also describes herself as trained in Muay Thai and martial arts.
At 51, Drena is five years older than De Niro’s oldest biological child, Raphael, with Abbott. Now 46, he’s a Manhattan real estate agent whose celebrity clients included Jon Bon Jovi and Renee Zellweger.
De Niro also has two children — twins Aaron and Julian, 27, — from his 1988-1995 relationship with former model and actress Toukie Smith. They were conceived through in vitro fertilizations and delivered by a surrogate mother.
He also had a son, Elliot, 21, in 1998, and a daughter, Helen, 11, in 2011 (also born via surrogate) during his stormy 20-year marriage to his second wife, former flight attendant Grace Hightower.
In May, the 79-year-old actor confirmed that he had welcomed his seventh child Gia Virginia with his girlfriend Tiffany Chan, 43, who he has been linked to since the summer of 2021.
Leandro’s death comes after the Justice Department filed charges against several Chinese companies and executives for their alleged role in the US trade in fentanyl.
Federal prosecutors say nearly all fentanyl precursors today are manufactured and shipped from China.
Criminal organizations such as the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico work with Chinese companies to get their ingredients for fentanyl.