Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, Robert De Niro’s grandson died at the age of 19 on Monday. A white, powdery substance was reportedly found on a plate near his body.

“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 I’m so sorry my baby, I’m so sorry @carlosmare. Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy,” his mother, Drena De Niro wrote in a heartbreaking message on Instagram.

Also Read | Who are Drena De Niro, Carlos Mare, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez’s parents?

Leandro De Niro Rodriguez cause of death

The official cause of death for Leandro De Niro Rodriguez has not been revealed yet. According to Daily Mail, Leandro’s body was discovered sitting in a chair in a $950,000 one-bedroom apartment located in the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street. There were no signs of trauma. The police did not mention what the white substance near Leandro’s body was.

A police source told TMZ that Leandro’s body was found by a friend who was checking in on him after not having heard from him for days. Leandro reportedly lived alone in the sixth-floor apartment, a concierge in the building confirmed, adding that he had rented the unit for less than a year. The concierge described Leandro as a friendly young man who always exchanged pleasantries whenever they met on his way of coming in or out.

Leandro was the son of Drena, who was adopted by Robert De Niro when he married her mother, Diahnne Abbott in 1976. Leandro’s father is Carlos Rodriguez or Carlos Mare who is a New York-based artist. 

In the comment section of Drena’s post, Mare commented, saying, “My dear Drena… words aren’t enough to express the joy he gave us or the loss we now endure with our families and friends. He is Godschild now. On this full moon his spirit luminates what could not be seen in the dark. You can’t spell LOVE without LEO.”

Also Read | Who was Leandro De Niro Rodriguez? Robert De Niro’s grandson dies at 19

 In 2006 and 2007, Rodriguez worked with Robert De Niro on the film The Good Shepherd.

It is not clear if that is when he met his daughter, Drena. There are no details about their relationship available publicly. It is not even known where they are or were married to each other. Mare shared a blacked-out image on his Instagram page in the wake of Leandro’s death.