The One Direction alum passed away on the aforementioned date after falling from the balcony of his room on the third floor of the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The singer had visited the South American country to attend his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert in early October and extended his stay there until his demise. Payne was accompanied by his girlfriend on the trip; however, she flew back to Florida, her home state, only two days before his tragic death.
A funeral service for the Teardrops singer is still pending, as his body remains in Argentina for investigation purposes. A preliminary autopsy report revealed that Payne died on the spot after plunging at least 45 feet from his hotel balcony, likely in a state of intoxication or unconsciousness. A toxicology report confirmed several days after his demise that drugs, including cocaine and crack, were present in his system at the time of his death.
He is survived by his father, Greg Payne, who is currently in Argentina to assist investigation authorities and arrange for the repatriation of his son’s remains to the UK; his mother, Karen Payne; sisters Ruth and Nicole; his son, Bear, 7; and his former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik.
The latter also postponed his road shows in the U.S. in light of his friend’s passing.
If you know someone who is struggling with substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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