had multiple drugs in his system prior to his death at age 31, a recent report reveals.
A partial autopsy showed that Payne had “pink cocaine” — a recreational drug typically mixing methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA — along with cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack in his system, according to a report published by ABC News on Monday, October 21. There was reportedly an aluminum pipe found in his hotel room as well.
Us Weekly previously confirmed that Payne died on October 16 after a fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
Buenos Aires emergency services chief said that Payne suffered “serious injuries” that were untreatable by the time first responders arrived on the scene.
“Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life,” Crescenti said, according to La Nacion. “Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.”
Crescenti added, “The team could do absolutely nothing. There was no resuscitation because it was confirmed that he had died. The whole body had very serious injuries.”
Us subsequently confirmed that Payne’s preliminary autopsy report stated that he died from multiple injuries involving “internal and external hemorrhage.” He suffered “multiple traumas” that contributed to his death, according to the report.
The Forensic Medical Corps doctors documented 25 injuries, including “cranioencephalic injuries [that] were severe enough to cause death.” The officials also noted that hemorrhages in Payne’s skull, chest, abdomen and limbs “contributed to the mechanism of death.” (It was unclear at the time whether the fall was accidental as an investigation into the incident was pending.)
Us confirmed that Buenos Aires City Police officers were dispatched to the CasaSur Palermo Hotel after a 911 call reporting an aggressive man thought to be under the influence.
In a translated transcript of a 911 call obtained by the BBC, the hotel’s chief receptionist claimed that a guest had taken “too many drugs and alcohol.”
“So, we have a guest who is high on drugs and who is trashing the room,” the caller alleged. “So, we need someone to come.”
The speaker then warned in a follow-up call that the guest “may be in danger” because the hotel room had a balcony, while also claiming that the guest was “trashing the entire room” whenever he was “conscious.”
Prior to his death, Payne was vocal about his struggles with drugs and alcohol. He admitted during a 2021 appearance on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast that his early days in One Direction included “pills and booze.”
“There is some stuff that I’ve definitely never spoken about,” he said at the time. “It was really, really, really severe. It was a problem.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
