Liam Payne, a singer who gained fame as a member of the band One Direction, passed away on Oct. 16 at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Before his death, Payne had struggled with addiction, revealing that he had spent 100 days in rehab in 2023.
Payne tragically died after falling from the third floor of a hotel around 5 p.m. local time. The Argentina National Prosecutor’s Office stated in a press release about his autopsy report that authorities discovered what seemed to be alcohol and narcotic substances in his hotel room.
An analysis is underway to determine if there were alcohol or drugs in Payne’s stomach and blood at the time of his passing, as per the prosecutor’s office.
Just minutes before Payne’s death, a hotel staff member called the 911 emergency line for help with a guest who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and had caused damage in the room, according to the release. The staff member did not mention Payne’s name in the call.
“He is in a room that has a balcony, and we are a little afraid he will do something that puts his life at risk,” the staff member said, according to audio obtained by Telemundo, a part of NBCUniversal.
The prosecutor’s office stated, “Everything suggests that the musician was alone when the fall happened and that he was experiencing some kind of breakdown due to substance abuse.”
Representatives for Payne have not responded to NBC News’ request for comment. The musician’s family issued a statement expressing their loss, describing him as “a kind, funny, and brave soul.”
Here’s what we know about Payne’s passing and what he has shared about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
How did Liam Payne pass away?
In a statement to Telemundo, the Sistema de Atencio Medica de Emergencia provided details on Payne’s passing on Oct. 16.
“British musician Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, passed away today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo,” the statement read. “In the afternoon, police personnel from Precinct 14B were directed to the hotel by a 911 call reporting an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
The Security Ministry of Buenos Aires informed the Associated Press that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room.” When medical personnel arrived at the scene, they declared Payne dead, citing “extremely serious injuries.”
An autopsy report revealed the cause of Payne’s death
According to a press release from the Argentina National Prosecutor’s Office, Payne died from “polytrauma and internal and external bleeding.”
The release mentioned that “a series of substances were seized from the musician’s room, which would indicate a prior situation of alcohol and drugs consumption.”
Following his fall from the balcony, Payne sustained “multiple traumatic injuries” and “internal and external bleeding,” leading to his passing. It seems that Payne was alone at the time of the fall, and “no injuries were noted that could suggest the involvement of other parties,” stated the prosecutor’s office.
As per the prosecutor’s office, the position in which Payne’s body was found suggests that he “did not assume a reflexive position to protect himself and may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.”
Liam Payne was in rehab last year
In July 2023, Payne recorded a YouTube video to update his fans on his health following a 100-day stay in rehab.
“I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually because I kind of became somebody who I didn’t really recognize anymore. And I’m sure you guys didn’t either,” he stated.
During his time in rehab, Payne did not have access to a phone, and he found the experience refreshing.
“I was in bad shape up until that point, and I was really happy more than anything when I arrived to kind of put a stopper on life and work,” he expressed.
At the time of filming the video, Payne shared that he had stopped drinking and had been sober for nearly six months.
“It’s good to be in this position,” he commented. “I definitely don’t need those things anymore. The party’s over.”
Payne added that he felt he had “more of a grip on life” and was focused on being a great father to his son, Bear, who is now 7 years old.
“There’s no point trying to be a dad when you’ve nothing to teach,” he acknowledged. “I don’t think up until this point I really had much to say to him other than just caring for him deeply and loving him very deeply, which are obviously the most important things.”
He used alcohol to cope with the fame of One Direction
While speaking to Men’s Health Australia in 2019, Payne opened up about the isolating aspects of fame and admitted that he turned to drinking to process his emotions. He highlighted that the repetitive nature of touring was difficult on days when he was not feeling mentally well.
“It’s almost like putting the Disney costume on before you step up on stage, and underneath the Disney costume I was upset quite often because there was no other way to comprehend what was happening. I mean, it was fun. We had a complete blast, but there were certain parts where it just became a little toxic,” he shared.
During an episode of “The Diary of a CEO” podcast in 2021, the singer also recalled the heavy drinking he engaged in while confined to his hotel room during tours.
“When we were in the band, the best way to control us because of how big it became was just locking us in our rooms. And of course, what’s in the room? Mini bar. So at some point, I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to have a party for one,’ and that just continued for many years in my life,” he recounted.
He tried therapy to improve his relationship with alcohol
He informed USA Today in 2019 that he had been sober for a year and that therapy had helped him develop a healthier relationship with alcohol.
“Fortunately for me at those times (when I was drinking), I had the best people around me to make me understand different points in my life where I could improve,” he said. “And obviously, having children completely alters the mindset around everything you do.”
“I’m still quite young, I’d like to think so at least, so I still have a lot of learning left to do. I’m still very much finding myself as a person,” Payne added.
“As you get older, hangovers become a completely different thing. There’s that age-old saying, ‘I’ll just have one,’ but you never really know,” he continued. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you do make a mistake or the night does go a little too far. … As long as I can get my job done the next day at a capable level I’m happy with, I can just write that one off as a lesson and go, ‘I won’t do that again.’ I still like to go out and enjoy myself.”
Liam Payne struggled with anxiety
Payne experienced severe anxiety due to his fame, revealing to Esquire Middle East that he was hesitant to leave his home at one point during his career.
Anxiety and substance abuse disorders often co-occur in the same individuals, research shows, though the connection is not fully understood.
“I developed a bit of agoraphobia. I would never leave the house. And I do sometimes suffer with it a bit in the sense that I’ll get days where I just don’t want to leave my house, even if it’s just going to the shop,” he disclosed.
“I don’t think I struggle in the sense of what you would naturally think of when I’m walking down the street with every person stopping me,” he continued. “I mean, it happens sometimes, but it’s mainly mentally where you struggle with it. It’s the getting ready and always knowing that you might be photographed.”
Simple tasks like refueling his car and paying at the register triggered anxiety for the singer at one point.
“I can feel it now — it was like this horrible anxiety where I’d be sweating buckets in the car thinking, ‘I don’t want to do this,’” he explained.
To manage his anxiety, Payne mentioned that he enjoyed going for an early morning run each day.
“I love it. I get myself outside and into the day and get past that fear of ‘what if this happens?’ or ‘what if that happens?'” he stated.
Liam Payne struggled with suicidal thoughts
During an interview with Sky News and Ant Middleton in 2019, Payne disclosed that he had experienced suicidal thoughts at various points in his career. Studies indicate that addiction can heighten the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
“For certain circumstances — I’m quite lucky to be here still, which is something I’ve never really shared with anyone,” he revealed.
Payne spoke about his battles with “loneliness” and “people intruding on you every day.”
“Every so often, you’re like, ‘When will this end?’ That’s almost nearly killed me a couple of times,” he said, admitting that he had contemplated taking his own life.
Payne relied on friends for support and introspected to understand why he was feeling the way he was.
“When things start to pile on top of each other, that’s when it can really get you. You’ve really got to change your view about it. There’s only one thing you control in that situation: it’s you,” he stated.
While appearing on a 2021 episode of “The Diary of a CEO” podcast, Payne discussed the suicidal thoughts he faced during his tenure with One Direction.
“There is some stuff that I have definitely never, never spoken about. It was really, really, really severe. And it was a problem,” he acknowledged.
This story mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, support is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com.