Liam Payne, former One Direction member, dies in Argentina hotel fall

FILE PHOTO: Liam Payne poses for photographers upon arrival at the British Fashion Awards in London, Dec. 5, 2022. – Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, local officials said. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/Associated Press)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, local officials said.

Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that Payne fell into a courtyard but declined to answer further questions about the incident, including whether Payne jumped from the balcony or fell by accident. Crescenti told Todo Noticias that authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting an autopsy.

FILE PHOTO: One Direction’s Liam Payne, second from right, poses for a photo with fellow band members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Tomlinson at the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London, Sept. 6, 2011. (Associated Press Photo/Jonathan Short, File)

Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan.

Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.