Liam Payne's Fatal Fall from Hotel Balcony Reportedly Captured on CCTV
According to reports from Argentinian media, CCTV footage captured the tragic incident when Liam Payne plummeted from the balcony of his third-floor hotel in Buenos Aires.
The untimely death of the former One Direction member took place on October 16 during his vacation at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Mirror reported that the singer and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy had been visiting the country and went to Niall Horan's concert earlier this month.
Broadcast journalist Paula Varela has now come forward, alleging that there is a video footage that captured the 31-year-old falling off a balcony after he supposedly "fainted." However, the recording and more details were reportedly being withheld by the authorities.
During her appearance on an Argentinian TV program, Varela revealed that a night employee at the hotel had developed a friendship with Payne, which later sparked an investigation into the source of the drugs believed to have contributed to his death.
Varela claimed, per the outlet, "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."
"It's not that he jumped deliberately. This footage is in the official case files. There's a lad who's being investigated; he was working nights at the hotel. He struck up an excellent relationship with Liam. He disobeyed an order from the hotel management. What was the order he disobeyed? It was not to take anything into Liam's room."
She added, "Because of the good relationship he had with Liam he requested a car through one of these taxi apps we all use because Liam wanted something. He did him that favor, a massive error because he's being investigated, and they're seeing what was transferred in that vehicle."
"It's one of the things the investigators are looking at at the moment and obviously this hotel worker has been suspended. He's a cherished member of staff, a good worker, but he disobeyed an order that could have proved fatal."
Findings from the toxicology report revealed the specific positioning of Payne's body and the injuries sustained from the fall presumed that the "Strip That Down" singer likely did not brace himself reflexively and may have fallen into unconsciousness before the fall, whether partially or fully.
Prosecutors have also revealed their belief that Payne was in a state of semi or total unconsciousness during a substance-induced "psychotic episode" at the time of his fall. While investigators have emphasized that they do not suspect any third-party involvement, speculations are circulating regarding the possibility of someone at Payne's hotel providing him with narcotics.
A report from Argentinian news source revealed that forensic investigators had found evidence of cocaine in Payne's system. However, analyses of a mysterious white substance seen in leaked images of his hotel room following his passing were inconclusive up to that point.
An array of unsubstantiated claims suggested that a mixture of substances, such as the custom-made narcotic pink cocaine with MDMA, ketamine, and methamphetamine, was detected in his body during a preliminary postmortem examination. Additionally, traces of crack cocaine and benzodiazepine were reportedly found.
Last week, authorities in Buenos Aires conducted a surprise raid at the CasaSur Hotel. Witnesses observed officers sorting through paperwork and inspecting electronic devices in the hotel's reception area.
Article originally appeared on 'Music Times.'
