Drena De Niro is coming for trolls spreading lies about her son Leandro‘s death.
As we’ve been reporting, the 19-year-old grandson of Robert De Niro tragically died from an accidental drug overdose when he was sold fentanyl-laced pills. Since then, the NYPD successfully named a suspect in the case — Sofia Haley Marks.
Naturally, the family is still mourning the absolutely devastating loss of their beloved Leo.
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On Wednesday, the 51-year-old mother took to Instagram to clear the air about her son’s passing. In the passionate caption, she wrote:
“Thank you for the outpouring of love and understanding that we’ve received over the death of our beloved Leandro. However there’s been a lot of misunderstanding and misrepresentation of facts that I as his mother can not sit by and not speak up about.”
She asked everyone to be “respectful” as she shared her “experience and opinion”:
“I would like to keep the comments open in respect to our friends, our friends and others who’ve lost their kids to this disease and others who might get some kind of comfort from this and want to share but idiocy and mean spiritedness won’t be tolerated as it’s too sensitive and painful of a situation for myself and Leo’s friends and family. Please keep it respectful it’s just an experience and opinion.”
In the post itself, a carousel of text-covered white pages started off by slamming the trolls who spread “vicious, inaccurate” lies about her son’s death:
“Since the circumstances of my son’s death have taken on a narrative and life of its own, driven by vicious, inaccurate hypotheses and conjecture by way of trolling and randoms who have nothing better to do than spread vitriol and pain to people who are already managing more than their share of heartache, I will say what I can about this.”
Detailing Leo’s experience with the drugs, she said he didn’t have any “knowledge” he was taking “fentanyl laced substance”:
“Firstly Leo was not forewarned to anyone’s knowledge (particularly yours) that he would be taking fentanyl laced substance. He was warned to “not take too many” of the counterfeit pills he was being sold and to “be careful with these” but this is very different than warning that a substance is in fact lethal or better yet not selling it all.”
She said people have been “placing blame” on her son for using drugs in the first place — or Robert because of his huge platform as a famous actor:
“I see that many people feel it’s necessary to place the blame on my son for using the drugs, to me as his mother for being hurt, shocked and angry at the sudden loss of my only child and even on his grandfather, whom many seem to think, possesses a direct connection or influence on how the U.S borders are operated. Now I know there is no way to reason with stupidity or ignorance but I will say that as long as we keep blaming the addict and person suffering mental illness we are going to continue to see more of this.”
So sad! This is not Robert or Leo’s fault… and blaming the family for an accident like this is just awful!
Drena went on to say her son “suffered tremendously” during the pandemic. She also reminded her followers she and her family are “only human” and to double-think before making a hateful comment:
“My son suffered tremendously through the pandemic as maybe many of your kids had but sadly addiction took over in the last year and eventually killed him. When you decide to comment on people’s misfortune and loss at least really think about the emotional and mental fragility of the people you’re attacking online. We are all human beings in the end. Neither I, my family, nor my son asked to be public tabloid fodder for trolling that’s just what we have to deal with on top of a paramount loss.”
The City By The Sea alum made a point that pointing blame on anyone isn’t helping the situation, as fentanyl “chooses who it chooses” and it “gets in the hands of too many people who distribute it”. Wrapping up her lengthy statement, she extended her love to those who suffer, or have loved ones who struggle, with addiction:
“My heart, prayers and alliance is with anyone who is suffering the loss of the their child or loved one to this nightmare of addiction and fentanyl overdose or suicide. Hopefully the publicity his very sad death has garnered will bring attention to a much bigger problem and to all the other beautiful young lives that are being snuffed out way too soon and senselessly. I also hope his passing will help bring more empathy, understanding and support to families and people who are struggling with mental health, suicide and addiction.”
Read Drena’s full post (below):
Shortly after her statement, the daughter of the A Bronx Tale actor shared a sweet tribute to Leandro for his birthday — he would have turned 20 on Friday. She wrote:
“You would have been 20 yrs old today
Thank you for the happiest and most profound 2 decades of my life ,little angel. I hope you are at peace and your spirit is filled with joy today and always.”
Ch-ch-check out the sweet throwback pics (below):
Just heartbreaking. We continue to send love and light to Drena, Robert, and the rest of their family and loved ones. May Leo rest in peace.
[Image via Drena De Niro/Instagram]
