Liam Payne was trying to escape from his hotel room when he fell to his death, and hotel staff were aware of his threats to use the balcony to break out, according to a new report.
The One Direction member, who was said to dislike being confined to hotel rooms, appeared to be quite drunk when staff at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires dragged him through the lobby, as seen in security footage. Once the staff reached his room, Payne resisted and clearly did not want to go back inside, as shown in the video. Payne's funeral took place last week more than a month after his death.
Payne Tried to Break Free Before Death
Shortly after, a hotel staff member called 911, expressing concern that Payne might use the balcony and potentially harm himself, suggesting that the hotel was aware of the serious risk of an accident, according to TMZ.
"I don't know whether his life may be in danger. He is in a room with a balcony, and, well, we're a little afraid ..." the employee said, according to the 911 transcript obtained by the outlet.
The hotel ultimately chose to leave the 31-year-old alone in his room, and shortly after, he tragically fell to his death.
When Argentinian authorities found Payne's body, they noticed he was wearing a bag that he hadn't had on him when he was dragged through the lobby, as reported by TMZ.
A hat was also found next to him, which Payne wasn't wearing earlier, suggesting he had put it on inside his room.
A police report obtained by TMZ indicated that Payne appeared to be trying to move from his third-floor balcony to a second-floor balcony, likely in an effort to jump to the ground from a shorter distance.
Too Drugged to Escape
Two days after Payne's death, a hotel worker found a brown leather bag on the second-floor balcony. The bag contained pills and a bottle of whiskey labeled "for Liam." It's believed Payne likely threw the bag down to the second floor with plans to retrieve it himself, according to TMZ.
The coroner suggested that Payne might have been unconscious when he fell, although he seems to have been conscious moments before the fall as he was seen collecting his items.
The "For You" singer had a history of using balconies to escape, with a notable incident in mid-September when his bodyguard, worried about a potential drug binge, locked him in a Florida rental room, according to TMZ.
Despite the Argentine hotel being aware of Payne's escape plan, sources close to the investigation have revealed that authorities are shielding the hotel.
Instead, charges have been filed against three people: Payne's close friend, a waiter, and a former hotel employee accused of supplying him with drugs.
Argentinian authorities continue to investigate the final days of Payne's life, reviewing extensive security footage. They suspect that the singer engaged in a drug-fueled binge, accompanied by two prostitutes, which ultimately led to his fatal fall.
An autopsy revealed that Payne had a dangerous combination of substances in his system at the time of his death, including crack cocaine and a substance known as "pink cocaine," which is a blend of ketamine and other drugs.
