The family of singer Liam Payne revealed today they were ‘heartbroken’ by his death aged 31, adding that the former One Direction star will ‘forever live in our hearts’.
The singer fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires yesterday, plunging into the courtyard before medics later confirmed his death.
A family statement said: ‘We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.’
Payne’s uncle Roger Harris also told MailOnline this afternoon: ‘We are all just deeply saddened and trying to come to terms with it. I just hope everybody gives them some privacy really and allows them to come to terms with it. That’s all I can say.’
The singer – who had been posing with fans in Buenos Aires in the hours before his death – suffered a fractured skull after falling from the third floor of Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Argentina’s capital shortly after 5pm local time (9pm UK time) yesterday.
Another relative speaking at Payne’s family home in Wolverhampton – the city where he was born and grew up – told MailOnline: ‘We are utterly devastated by the news.’
Payne was raised in Wolverhampton by his mother Karen, a nurse, and father Geoff, a fitter. Early this morning, his older sisters, Nicola and Ruth, arrived at the house.
Nine weeks ago Geoff posted a sweet image of his son and his dog as he penned in the caption: ‘#Like if you love my son!’ – a post which has since been flooded with messages of condolence for their family.
Neighbours said Payne’s parents left their £600,000 four-bedroom detached house last night at around midnight while Nicola and Ruth were seen entering the property at 9am this morning.
One local resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘They were seen leaving in a hurry at around midnight last night but I’m not sure if they had bags.
‘You can’t imagine what they are going through. I know Liam liked to get back here when he could. They will be utterly heartbroken as they very close.
‘His home town always had a place in his heart. The community is going to be devastated. I think the sisters are there now, your heart goes out to them.’
A second neighbour said: ‘I think they left last night at around 12pm. The parents aren’t here. All I can say really is condolences to them.’
A third added: ‘It’s so, so sad. They are such a nice family. I’m a big fan of Liam and when he’d be back for Christmas he would wave back when he was driving past.
‘You knew it was him because he’d drive up with Cheryl in his black Lamborghini.’
It comes as a photograph of Payne seemingly returning to his hotel room in Buenos Aires emerged, and is reportedly the final image of the singer before he fell to his death.
The star plunged 45ft from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina’s capital yesterday, before medics confirmed his death.
The photo broadcast on local network America TV appears to show Payne wearing a white sleeveless top with his tattoos visible. A presenter said it was the last time the former One Direction singer was seen alive before he got in a lift to his room.
Last night Alberto Crescenti, head of the city’s emergency services, revealed Payne had a ‘cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death’.
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He also told TN television that Payne was dead when paramedics arrived at 5pm local time (9pm UK time), adding: ‘Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life.’
Payne’s identity was confirmed by emergency services by checking his passport, but police do not yet have conclusive evidence regarding the circumstances of his fall.
The singer fell from a third-floor suite with a balcony overlooking an interior pool and the hotel’s on-site Michelin-star restaurant where he landed in the courtyard.
Police in forensic suits were minutely examining the room and its balcony late last night after their colleagues below erected a red tent on the spot where Payne died.
The patio where he died is next to the swimming pool and is also the site for outdoor tables at the hotel’s plant-based Sarco restaurant. No diners were there at the time, because Sacro closes after lunch at 4pm before reopening for dinner at 7.30pm.
Payne had arrived in Argentina earlier this month for his ex-bandmate Niall Horan’s concert with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy. She left two days ago, but he stayed on.
Around the same time, his ex-fiancée Maya Henry instructed lawyers to issue Payne with a cease and desist letter after accusing him of repeatedly contacting her.
Payne rose to stardom aged 16 after forming boy band One Direction on The X Factor in 2010 alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles .
A hotel reception worker made a distressing 999 call requesting ‘urgent’ assistance after Payne had been acting erratically and was escorted back to his hotel room.
The hotel worker made two calls, saying in the first: ‘We have a guest who’s off his head on drugs and is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.’
He then phoned back after the line went dead, saying: ‘I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. The room has a balcony and we are afraid he might do something.’
Payne was said to have been ‘acting erratically in the hotel lobby and smashed his laptop’ before he ‘had to be carried back to his room’, according to local media.
Seconds later the employee, who identified himself as Esteban, added: ‘Just send an ambulance, only an ambulance.’ Workers had heard a loud sound in the courtyard before the singer’s body was discovered just after 5pm local time (9pm UK time).
A recording of the second call lasting about two minutes and leaked to local media overnight began with the 999 operator saying: ‘Hello, where is the emergency?’
The hotel employee replied: ‘Hello, good afternoon. I called just now but the line went dead. I’m calling from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, address 6032, Costa Rica.’
The conversation continued as below:
999 responder: ‘What happened there, sir?’
Hotel employee: ‘Well, we have a guest who is off his head on drugs and alcohol. And well, when he is conscious he is destroying everything in the room. And well, we need you to send someone, please.’
999 responder: ‘Under the effects of alcohol and drugs, did you say sir?’
Hotel employee: ‘Yes, correct.’
999 responder: ‘You told me Costa Rica. Sorry but what number, sir?’
Hotel employee: ‘Costa Rica, 6032’
999 responder: ‘That is Buenos Aires capital, between Arevalo and Kramer, right?’
Hotel manager: ‘Yes.’
999 responder: ‘Hotel, you said? What’s the hotel called?’
Hotel employee: ‘CasaSur Palermo. And we need you to send someone urgently because, well, I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger. They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.’
999 responder: ‘How long has he been there? Or is it a residential hotel?’
Hotel employee: ‘No, no. He’s been here two or three days.’
999 responder: ‘Understood. And you wouldn’t know any other information because you can’t get into the room, no?’
Hotel employee: ‘No.’
999 responder: ‘We’ll notify the SAME [Sistema de Atención Médica de Emergencias – or Emergency Medical Attention Service] medical response service, okay?’
Hotel employee: ‘Yes, what I ask you is that you send someone urgently because, well…’
999 responder: ‘Any other information you can give me. Who are you, the manager?’
Hotel employee: ‘I am the head of reception.’
999 responder: ‘You’d be in charge at the moment, right?’
Hotel employee: ‘Yes.’
999 responder: ‘What’s your name, sir?’
Hotel employee: ‘Esteban.’
999 responder: ‘Okay, this has been notified. Thank you for letting us know. You can hang up now.’
Hotel manager: ‘Are you sending the police as well or not?’
999 responder: ‘The police for the area you’re in? Give me a second. Area 14.’
Hotel manager: ‘No, just send the SAME medical response service.’
Outside the hotel, shocked fans gathered after police cordoned it off with forensic investigators seen entering and exiting in white protective suits and blue gloves.
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