Wednesday, October 16, former One Direction band member, Liam Payne (31), was found dead after falling from his third-story balcony at the hotel CasaSur in Palermo, Buenos Aires.
Prior to his fall, there were reports of the English singer-songwriter “acting erratic” in the hotel’s lobby. Though it is yet unclear to what that means exactly, we do know that Payne smashed his laptop near the reception area which, later, had to be delivered back up to his room. Alongside this, earlier that day, the nearby police department was informed of “an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol” though it isn’t certain if these reports were about Payne.
Following the release of the singer’s hotel room photos however, it does make the accusation very likely. In one photo, a shattered television screen is shown that appears to have been punched, and in multiple others, there are what seem to be various drugs and drug-related vessels.
It is apparent that for a while (as well as moments leading up to the fatal incident), Payne was struggling severely with his mental health. Not long ago after he opened up about his struggles with addiction, he, again, began to lose significant weight and would occasionally document his troubles to the twenty-four-hour stories of his various social media platforms. Simultaneously, he sprinkled in optimism regarding his son, Bear (7) and his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy (25).
Just a few weeks ago, Payne’s most recent ex-girlfriend, Maya Henry, finally began sharing the abuse she endured during their four-year on-again, off-again relationship, even eerily revealing that he would often taunt his death to manipulate and silence her. Because of this and other allegations against the singer regarding herself as well as former bandmates, it is undetermined whether his death was intentional or accidental.
Still, the news is shocking and troubling to celebrities and fans alike. Media personality Paris Hilton wrote on X that it’s, “So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing😢 Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. 🙏 RIP my friend🥺.” While fan and influencer Emmy Hartman posted a video to her TikTok platform in visible distress about the situation explaining, “I feel sick to my stomach; and I also feel confused because he wasn’t a great person but fourteen-year-old me is about to sob my eyes out.” In this vulnerable moment, she expresses the conflicting emotions surrounding most fans during this time.
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