Authorities in Argentina have obtained security footage that reportedly shows Liam Payne fainting just before he tragically fell to his death from his hotel balcony. Local journalist Paula Varela revealed on Canal 13’s “Socios del Espectáculo” that the video supports the theory that Payne was unconscious when he accidentally fell from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.
Varela explained, “The footage, which has not been made public, shows Liam fainting, and due to his position, he tragically falls from the balcony.” She further clarified, “If he had been closer to his bed, he would have simply fallen onto it. This wasn’t a deliberate act.”
The footage, now part of the official investigation, shows Payne’s fatal fall, which occurred shortly after hotel staff discovered his lifeless body in the courtyard. Local authorities initially speculated that Payne was unconscious during the fall, based on his body’s position and the severity of the injuries.
A preliminary report from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office revealed that Payne suffered severe trauma, including internal and external bleeding, likely caused by a cranial fracture and other critical injuries that led to his death.
Although authorities did not immediately confirm whether drugs were involved in his death, substances and drug paraphernalia were found in his hotel room. A toxicology report later confirmed the presence of multiple drugs, including crack cocaine and a mixture known as “pink cocaine,” which contains methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA.
Eyewitnesses in the hotel lobby reported erratic behavior by Payne just hours before his death. One American tourist recalled an incident where Payne appeared frustrated and smashed his laptop, later passing out in the lobby before being escorted back to his room.
Payne had been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse, which began during his time with One Direction and worsened after the band’s breakup in 2016. A source close to Payne shared that he never fully recovered from the heartbreak of losing his bandmates and battled with addiction throughout the years.
Payne, 31, leaves behind his parents, siblings, girlfriend Kate Cassidy, and his son, Bear, whom he shared with ex-par
tner Cheryl Cole.
