Former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead in the courtyard of a hotel after falling from the balcony in Buenos Aires.
The 31-year-old singer had reportedly "jumped from the balcony" of his room in the third floor of Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina's capital, Palermo. Officials said that his fall resulted in "extremely serious injuries" and his death was confirmed by the medics on the spot.
Payne's fans, Directioners -- supporters of the globally popular British boy band -- and netizens took to social media and reacted to his passing, some with sadness, shock and some also brought up the allegations levelled against him.
Issuing a statement following his death, Liam Payne's family said on Thursday, "We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we'll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time."
Liam Payne's Death | What We Know So Far
Drugs And Alcohol: Buenos Aires police had rushed to the hotel in response to an emergency call made by the staff just after 5 pm local time. The communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry -- Pablo Policicchio -- told The Associated Press that staff had warned the police of an "aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol". Notably, the singer had been vocal about his alcoholism struggles, posting a video on his YouTube channel in July 2023 where he said that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment.
The 911 Call: The manager of the Casa Sur Hotel can be heard on a 911 call that they had "a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol ... He's destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please." As the call went on, the manager seemingly grew anxious, informing the cops of a balcony in the room. Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, told a local news channel that authorities were investigating the circumstances of Payne's death and that his body has been sent for postmortem.
Scene At The Hotel: Dozens of Directioners and Liam Payne's fans were seen flocking outside the hotel from across the city as the news of his death broke. Fans were seen standing in lines on the street where police stood sentinel. Meanwhile, forensic analysts were seen exiting from the hotel, where Payne's body was removed around three hours after the fall.
Videos, Pictures On Social Media: Several purported videos of Payne falling off from the hotel's balcony are doing the rounds on social media; however, many have dismissed them, saying that they are fake. Pictures of Payne's hotel room show broken things across the space, with the TV smashed and everything in a mess.
Probe: Cops said that they found Payne's room in "complete disarray" with "various items broken". They reportedly found packets of clonazepam -- a central nervous system depressant -- along with energy supplements and other over-the-counter drugs strewn among his belongings. Forensic teams said that a whiskey bottle, lighter and Payne's cellphone were recovered from the internal courtyard where his body was found. Authorities said that statements were taken from three hotel employees and two women who had visited Payne in his hotel room hours before his fall in an effort to reconstruct Payne's final moments. The two women had left the hotel by the time of the incident, the public prosecutor's office said.
Autopsy Report: The Argentinian public prosecutor's office said that the post-mortem report showed internal bleeding and 25 traumatic injuries all over Payne's body, including to his skull, limbs and abdomen, consistent with the fall. According to the report, these injuries alone were enough to cause Payne's death. It said that there were no signs of a third party being involved, but described Payne's case as "suspicious", citing likelihood that the former One Direction singer had been taking alcohol and drugs. The public prosecutor said the lack of defensive injuries on Payne's hands show that "he did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness". Evidence collected from the scene suggested the singer "was going through some kind of substance abuse episode", the statement said, adding that all signs pointed to Payne being alone at the time of the incident. Medical examiners requested toxicology tests and listed Payne's cause of death as "multiple trauma" and "internal and external bleeding".
'I'm Going To Die': Maya Henry, who dated and got engaged to Liam Payne, claimed in a podcast that the singer would often predict his death. "He would always message me ever since we broke up (saying), 'Oh, I'm not well'. He would always play with death and be like, 'Well I'm going to die. I'm not doing well.'" Henry described the former One Direction singer's messages as a "manipulation tactic" to make her fell bad for him despite their separation.
Maya Henry's Allegations: She alleged that Payne even contacted her mother asking her to have Henry call him, since she wouldn't respond to him. "It's just always the same cycle," she added. Henry said that Payne once called her mother, saying "I am not going to be around much longer." She shared during the podcast that she doesn't joke around with death, so she would try and help the person no matter what, Page Six reported. Earlier this year, Henry had announced her fictional book 'Looking Forward' inspired by journal entries she wrote while dating the singer. She alleged that one of Payne's friends even called her and asked her to not release the book for the sake of his mental health.
'So Much Worse': Henry reportedly claimed that she offered help to Payne to get back into rehab but ended up feeling like his actions were manipulative. In the days leading up to his death, she alleged that Payne had gotten "so much worse", without specifiying much details due to the legal limitations. She had sent Payne a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month as he wouldn't "leave her alone". Henry admitted that she feared something bad would happen given the way he was living, which is why she always wanted to get him help. "Ok, he's saying these things, I have to help him because if I don't I won't be able to live with myself if something does happen to him," she told the hosts of the 'The Internet Is Dead' podcast.
Liam Payne's Career: Payne was one of the five members of One Direction, a boy band which was formed for the British singing competition show 'The X Factor' in 2010. Payne had first attempted to get on the show in 2008. In his second attempt two years later, a 16-year-old Payne sang Michael Buble's version of 'Cry Me A River'. However, him and the other four boys failed to make it through auditions as solo artists. Simon Cowell and his fellow judges then combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson into what went on to become the most successful boy bands of all times. The band has given several hits like, "What Makes You Beautiful", "Night Changes", "Steal My Girl" and "Story Of My Life". He also co-wrote several of the band's hits. After One Direction went on a hiatus in 2015, Payne released several hit singles as well, including "Strip That Off", "Get Low" and "For You". Payne's last single -- 'Teardrops' -- was released in March this year.
Payne's Family: Liam Payne is survived by his parents, two sisters, and a seven-year-old son. He had his son, Bear Grey Payne, with former girlfriend and musician Cheryl Cole, known for 'Girls Aloud' and as an 'X Factor' judge during One Direction's season. His relationship with Cheryl had begun years after the X Factor season.
ONE DIRECTION & BAND MEMBERS ISSUE STATEMENTS
One Direction released a statement following Liam's death on its Instagram page and said, "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."
"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. - Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry."
Liam's former bandmate Harry Styles also issued a statement: "I am truly devastated by Liam's passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it."
"Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend," Styles said, adding, "My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola, and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did. - Harry."
Louis Tomlinson shared a long message on his Instagram, posting a picture of himself and Liam. He said, "I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul."
"I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for. Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band," Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson further said to set the record clear, "Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam."
"A message to you Liam if you’re listening, I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours , reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be," Tomlinson said.
He added, "I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was. I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well x."
Zayn Malik, another former bandmate of Payne's, posted an old picture of him and Liam and issued a statement.
"Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can't help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life," Malik said.
"When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved. Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated and gave no fucks telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it," Malik wrote further.
The singer who had parted ways with One Direction in early 2015, said, "When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional. I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which to steer the ship next."
"I lost a brother when you left us and can't explain what I'd give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro," Malik added.
