Argentine prosecutors have revealed that toxicology reports show Liam Payne, former One Direction star, had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system prior to his death.
“The results of the toxicological studies, which have been communicated to his family, revealed that, in the moments prior to his death and over a period covering at least his last 72 hours, Payne had traces of polydrug use of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his body,” the prosecutors said.
Payne tragically died on October 16 after falling from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as “multiple traumas” and “internal and external hemorrhaging” from the fall.
The toxicology report was released a day after the singer’s father, Geoff Payne, repatriated his son’s body from Buenos Aires to London.
Three individuals have been charged in connection with supplying Payne with drugs. One person, who had been with him during his stay, faces charges of both providing narcotics and abandoning Payne while he was in a vulnerable state. A hotel employee is accused of supplying Payne with cocaine on two occasions, and a third person provided drugs just days before his fatal fall.
Payne’s death has sparked renewed conversation about the pressures of fame, especially for young stars. The singer had publicly discussed his struggles with substance abuse and the mental health challenges he faced with his early rise to fame. Payne first gained attention in 2008 on The X Factor before joining One Direction, which went on to become one of the biggest musical acts of the 2010s. After the band went on hiatus in 2016, Payne’s solo career saw limited success.
At the time of his death at age 31, Payne’s passing prompted an outpouring of grief from fans, former band mates, and loved ones. He is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear, with former partner Cheryl Tweedy, a member of pop group Girls Aloud.
