Authorities have confirmed the harrowing details behind the tragic passing of former One Direction member Liam Payne, stating that he “jumped from the balcony” of his Argentine hotel room.
In a statement given to The Associated Press, police disclosed that the 31 year old artist “had jumped from the balcony of his room”, quashing any rumours of an accidental fall or criminal involvement. The devastating event occurred while Payne was on vacation in Buenos Aires with his partner Kate Cassidy, which also saw him supporting ex-bandmate Niall Horan at a gig.
Officials suggested from an initial post-mortem that Payne’s fatal injuries included “multiple traumas” leading to “internal and external bleeding” following the fall from the hotel’s third floor which spanned a height of nearly 40 feet. An emergency call logged shortly after 5pm prompted swift action by the police, responding to a complaint about “an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” per the Associated Press report.
Liam Paynes untimely death has sent shockwaves through the music community as further revelations come to light regarding his cause of death, whilst his family painstakingly expresses their grief. The probe into Paynes demise intensifies, with authorities now seeking a drug supplier in the wake of narcotics found in his hotel room.
The staff at Hotel Casa Sur were besieged with panic before the incident turned tragic, urgently reaching out to emergency services twice. A fraught message from the head of reception was captured in their first plea for help: “We have a guest who’s off his head on drugs and is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come,” as per a report by the Mirror, reports the Manchester Evening News.
In a follow-up call laid bare the escalating fears, another employee, who identified themselves as Esteban, admitted uncertainty over the safety of the guest: “I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger.”
He went on to detail their concerns: “The room has a balcony and we are afraid he might do something. Just send an ambulance, only an ambulance.”
Despite these frantic appeals for assistance, by the time authorities arrived it was too late to save Liam. The subsequent investigation turned every corner of his hotel room inside out, yielding clues like drug paraphernalia, now under forensic examination, amidst the chaos.
In a disturbing setting, signs of disturbance such as a smashed TV, remnants of white powder, an almost drained champagne flute, scraps of burnt aluminium foil, and a charred soft drink can were found.
As the investigation into the young musician’s untimely demise goes forward, experts in forensic toxicology and anatomical pathology will scrutinise blood and urine specimens to look for evidence of narcotics consumption. Added efforts to probe into his health records will cast light on the state of Liam’s mental wellbeing.
Alberto Crescenti, the head of Buenos Aires emergency medical services, revealed that Liam died instantly from various injuries including a skull fracture. He went into further detail: “Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life. Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.”
Local officials have now confirmed that Liam jumped from his balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel. , as detailed by Pablo Policicchio, communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, during an exchange with PEOPLE.
Subsequently, a staff member expressed concern in a phone call, stating: “We need you to send someone urgently because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”
Police had earlier confirmed that an inquiry was underway to shed light on what led to the unfortunate event. Examinations, such as toxicological and anatomical-pathological tests on blood and urine samples, are being undertaken to detect any presence of drugs.
Upon inspection of the room, police found items including a whisky bottle, a lighter, and white powder, along with medications like clonazepam prescribed for epilepsy or panic disorders, and also energy pills.
Authorities seized a notebook and Liam’s passport, which were handed over to investigators, along with a phone that could have belonged to the ex-One Direction star.
Fans, mates, and band members have flooded in with tributes for Liam. In a heart-wrenching message, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan expressed: “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.”