An initial toxicology report on pop star Liam Payne shows he had cocaine in his system when he fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Argentina, The Associated Press reported.
The final findings of the toxicology report are not expected to be released for several weeks, but the initial report suggested evidence of cocaine exposure, AP reported, citing an Argentine official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists to inform.
The circumstances surrounding the former One Direction star’s fatal fall at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires last week are still being investigated by authorities.
“Everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred,” the Public Prosecution Service in Argentina said on Thursday.
Payne, 31, has previously been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health.
Payne’s former bandmates — Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik — released a statement last week honoring the man they called a “brother.”
“The memories we shared with him will be cherished forever,” their joint statement said.
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On Wednesday, Buenos Aires police responded to the hotel after an employee requested emergency police assistance via a 911 call to help with a hotel guest who was “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” and whose life they feared was “in danger,” according to the Police. emergency call obtained by Todo Noticias, CNN’s local affiliate.
Marcelo Roma, the prosecutor in charge of the investigation, last week confirmed the preliminary autopsy report showing that Payne’s death was due to multiple serious injuries and “internal and external bleeding” as a result of his fall from three floors.
Officials investigating the incident also suspect he was not fully conscious at the time of his fall. “Due to the position in which the body was found and the injuries sustained from the fall, it is believed that Payne did not adopt a reflexive position to protect himself and may have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness,” the report said.
A photo released by police in Buenos Aires on Wednesday showed a table in Payne’s hotel room with items scattered on it, including unidentified white powder, crumpled aluminum foil and a lighter. Some charred spots are also visible on the table.
Payne’s father, Geoff Payne, traveled to Buenos Aires on Friday to visit the hotel where his son died. Visibly emotional, Geoff Payne thanked the fans who gathered outside the hotel and expressed his gratitude for their overwhelming show of support.
Last weekend, One Direction supporters paid tribute to the singer at memorial services around the world.
Payne is survived by a 7-year-old son named Bear, whom he shared with singer Cheryl Cole.
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