Liam Payne reportedly fainted prior to his fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires earlier this month, according to a journalist citing CCTV security footage.
Argentinian reporter Paula Varela said during an appearance on Canal 13’s “Socios del Espectáculo” this week that CCTV footage captured the moments leading up to the 31-year-old’s fall from his third-floor room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel on Oct. 16 — and the fall itself — according to multiple outlets.
“There is footage that is not being released to the media with the balcony scene where you see that Liam faints, and tragically because of where he is, falls from that balcony. If he had been beside his bed, he would have fallen on his bed,” Valera said. “It’s not that he jumped deliberately. This footage is in the official case files.”
While Varela’s remarks are in line with the preliminary autopsy’s findings that the singer “may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness,” they challenge authorities’ claims that Payne “jumped from the balcony.”
The autopsy determined Payne suffered multiple traumatic injuries resulting in internal and external bleeding.
Moments before Payne’s death, a hotel receptionist called emergency services, requesting assistance for a guest who was “trashing” his room and believed to be “high on drugs.” The receptionist at the time expressed concern for the guest’s safety, given the balcony in his room.
A toxicology report found cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack and a drug cocktail known as “pink cocaine” in Payne’s system at the time of his death.
Evidence suggests “a hotel employee sourced the drugs for Payne,” for which an indictment could be in order, a source within Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office recently told People.
Authorities last week raided the CasaSur Hotel as part of their probe into Payne’s death. Local law enforcement sources told TMZ they’re paying special attention to small objects in his room, including a Dove soap box, which may have been used as part of a drug hand-off.
