Liam Payne, who rose to fame as a member of ‘One Direction’, died on October 16 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Argentina. He was just 31. His untimely death left everyone in a state of shock. Now, officials in Argentina have confirmed his cause of death.
How Did Liam Payne Die? Cause Revealed
Liam Payne’s sudden and tragic death has left everyone from the music fraternity in a state of shock. Now, some more facts about the tragedy have come to light.
Payne passed away from “multiple traumas” and “internal and external bleeding” after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires’ Palermo neighborhood on October 16, as revealed by initial autopsy findings from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14.
The investigation is classified as a “doubtful death” under the protocols of the prosecutor’s office. However, a statement from the office indicates that “all evidence suggests the musician was alone at the time of the fall and may have been experiencing an episode related to substance use.”
Payne is thought to have died around 5:07 p.m. on Wednesday. According to the prosecutor’s office, a 911 call was placed just moments before, reporting a guest who was “intoxicated and had damaged items in the room.”
When emergency responders and police arrived, they found that “Payne had already fallen from his balcony and succumbed to his injuries at the scene,” read the statement.
Forensic personnel from the Forensic Medical Corps at the Judicial Morgue conducted the autopsy on Wednesday between 9:45 p.m. and 11:05 p.m.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the autopsy revealed that the cause of death for Liam James Payne was due to polytrauma, along with internal and external hemorrhage.
The medical examiners indicated that additional tests could either confirm or adjust their preliminary findings.
They reported that histopathological, biochemical, and toxicological analyses have been requested, which include examining stomach contents and testing for alcohol and toxins in blood, vitreous humor, bile, nasal swabs, and urine.
The examination revealed that Payne had sustained 25 injuries that resulted in both internal and external bleeding in the skull, thorax, abdomen, and limbs. Notably, some head injuries were potentially fatal on their own.
Prosecutors suggested that given the manner in which the body was found and the nature of the injuries, Payne may not have instinctively protected himself during the fall and could have been in a semi-conscious or unconscious state.
Investigators at the scene reported discovering substances that appeared to be alcohol and narcotics in Payne’s hotel room, and they are awaiting official confirmation regarding those substances. Additionally, they noted the presence of several damaged items and furniture.
The prosecutor’s office questioned three hotel staff members and two women who had been with Payne shortly before his death; the women had already checked out of the hotel.
While investigating the circumstances surrounding Payne’s death, the prosecutor’s office is also looking into the potential involvement of third parties in events leading up to his demise.
Payne, known for his hit “Get Low,” has openly discussed his battles with alcoholism, notably sharing in a July 2023 YouTube video that he had been sober for six months following treatment. Representatives for Payne have not yet responded to inquiries.
About Liam Payne
Liam James Payne was born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton. At just 14, he auditioned for The X Factor in 2008, advancing through several rounds before judge Simon Cowell asked him to return two years later.
In 2010, Payne returned to The X Factor as a solo competitor. Following a suggestion from guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, he was paired with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, leading to the formation of the boy band One Direction.
Although One Direction finished third on The X Factor, their popularity increased manifold after the show. Their debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” was released in September 2011 and topped charts worldwide. It also secured the Brit Award for British Single of the Year in 2012.
The band’s first album, Up All Night, launched in November 2011, achieving massive international acclaim and making them the first UK group to reach number one in the U.S. with a debut album. They went on to release four more albums: Take Me Home in 2012, Midnight Memories in 2013, Four in 2014, and Made in the AM in 2015.
After One Direction went on hiatus in January 2016, Payne released his solo album, LP1, in December 2019.
