Three individuals have been charged in connection with the tragic death of One Direction singer Liam Payne, who fell from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, according to Argentine authorities on Thursday.
The 31-year-old's demise sent shockwaves around the globe, prompting inquiries into the circumstances of his fall. A 911 call from a hotel staff member on the day of Payne's death indicated that he had been behaving aggressively and might have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
An autopsy report revealed that the former boy band member had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office on Thursday. Payne's body was released to his father, Geoff, over the weekend and transported back to his native England.
In recent weeks, Geoff had been seen alongside longtime One Direction bodyguard, Paul Higgins, at the CasaSur hotel where his son met his untimely end. Those charged in relation to Payne's death include a suspected drug dealer, a hotel employee who allegedly provided Payne with cocaine, and an individual close to the singer.
All are accused of contributing to Payne's drug intake, with the hotel employee allegedly supplying cocaine to Payne at least twice during his stay, and the suspected drug dealer believed to have provided it twice more two days before his death. The person who was with Payne is also charged with "abandonment of a person followed by death," according to authorities.
The investigation into the details surrounding Payne's death is ongoing, with prosecutors stating that they are still attempting to access the singer's damaged laptop. Witnesses had reported seeing Payne smashing his laptop in the hotel lobby.
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