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It is a heartbreaking time for Pop fans as a former member of One Direction has died. Liam Payne became the first of the beloved boy group to pass on at 31 following a tragic fall from his hotel balcony in Argentina. Payne had been staying at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.
The hotel manager urgently called for help following his alleged meltdown and erratic behavior on Wednesday, October 16. The call was placed around 5 PM that day, according to a 911 transcript. When the operator asked what type of emergency was unfolding at the hotel, the manager claimed there was a guest “who was overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol.”
They noted he was tearing apart his room on the third floor, and staff needed assistance to stop him. When the operator questioned if the guest was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the manager doubled down on their claims. They stressed the urgency for help, expressing concerns about the guest’s life as he had locked himself inside his room for two or three days.
The manager noted that hotel staff could not access the guest’s room and implored cops to come quickly. Unfortunately, by the time authorities and first responders arrived, Payne had fallen from his hotel balcony and crashed into the deck below, per TMZ.
Other Eyewitnesses Noticed the Singer’s Behavior
The outlet previously reported that eyewitnesses claimed the incident occurred shortly after 5 PM following Payne’s concerning behavior. He had allegedly been acting erratic in the hotel lobby, smashing his laptop and forcing staff to escort him back to his room. A picture from the scene captured the “Strip That Down” hitmaker’s body on the ground with his tattoos exposed — a clock on his left forearm and a scorpion on his abdomen.
Upon their arrival, authorities protected Payne’s body with a red tent while investigating the cause of his death. As for why the singer was in Argentina, Payne and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy reportedly arrived on September 30 to support former One Direction member Niall Horan at his concert. The couple flooded social media with cute pictures of themselves having a blast, but Cassidy left on October 14 while her beau checked into the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
What Could Have Sparked Liam Payne’s Alleged Erratic Behavior?
Payne joined One Direction when he was 16 after being scouted alongside Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik following their 2010 participation in “The X Factor.” Although they became one of the bestselling boy groups, the members broke up in 2015. The spotlight was challenging for Payne, who confessed in June 2021 that he struggled with alcohol and prescription drug addictions.
During one of his band’s tours, he claimed his mental health was so bad that he had “severe” suicidal thoughts. The singer seemed to be doing fine earlier this month at Horan’s concert, with the former boy group members having a touching reunion. Unfortunately, Payne’s problems returned earlier this week when he made headlines for scathing allegations.
Payne’s ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, alleged he dumped her after asking her to get an abortion. The situation worsened with her attorneys claiming they had been trying to send him a cease-and-desist letter to stop him from contacting her. It remains unclear what triggered the singer’s alleged “erratic behavior” at the hotel or if his past addictions and mental health struggles played a part in his demise.
Could Liam Payne’s troubles with his ex-fiancée be a factor in the case? Only time will tell.
