An initial toxicology report for ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died last week after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, showed that he had cocaine in his system after his death, an Argentine official said.
The final toxicology results are not expected to be made public for some weeks. But the preliminary toxicology report of the boy band star, handed to local prosecutors on Monday (Oct 21), suggested evidence of exposure to cocaine, the official said, stressing that these initial results don’t offer an accurate reading of just how much was circulating in his blood when he died.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief journalists. The preliminary report was widely reported in local media on Monday.
Argentina’s public prosecution is investigating the case – which is not uncommon when a death is sudden or unexpected.
Payne’s autopsy concluded that the traumatic injuries that caused his death were consistent with his three-storey fall from the hotel window. Prosecutors have ruled out anyone else being involved.
Argentine investigators found what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol strewn about broken objects and furniture in 31-year-old Payne’s hotel room, leading the public prosecution to surmise Payne had suffered a substance abuse-induced breakdown around the time of his fall. The prosecution said Payne could have plunged from his hotel room balcony in a state of “semi or total unconsciousness”.
