Liam Payne’s family await post-mortem reports to take body home from Argentina

Liam Payne’s funeral could be held next month.

Following the One Direction star’s tragic death in Buenos Aires on October 16, at age 31, Argentinian newspaper Clarín, claims his body could remain in Argentina for 10 to 15 days. Once toxicological tests have been performed, Payne’s remains will be available to his family for return to the UK.

The British Embassy said: “We are supporting Liam Payne’s family and are in contact with local authorities.”

The Strip That Down singer died from “multiple traumas” that caused “internal and external bleeding”.

The singer plunged from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, and preliminary autopsy findings reported by the Daily Mirror newspaper found the result was consistent with his 10-metre fall.

Toxicological and anatomical-pathological studies of blood and urine will determine any traces of drugs.

Police found a bottle of whiskey, a lighter, and a white powder in the room, as well as medications, including clonazepam, which is used to treat epilepsy, panic disorders or involuntary muscle spasms, and energy pills.

A notebook and Payne’s passport were seized and handed over to investigators, as well as a phone that may have belonged to the former boy band member and will be checked for messages.

Police described “total disorder” in the room, with various things broken. They earlier said they had been called to reports of an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.

Emergency services previously said Payne had died instantly. Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti told The Sun: “Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life.

“Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.”

Audio from the two calls made by the hotel’s head of reception to emergency services also circulated online, with the employee admitting that staff were “worried” a guest would put their life at risk.

In the first call, he said: “We have a guest drunk with drugs and alcohol. When he [them, gender not clear in conversation] is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room...

“We have a guest who is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.”

After the line went dead, he called back and said: “We need you to send someone urgently because 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.”

Payne’s body was found in the hotel’s inner courtyard at around 5 p.m. local time.

TMZ.com reported that witnesses stated Payne had been “acting erratic” in the lobby of the hotel, with the outlet publishing statements suggesting the singer had smashed his laptop and had to be taken back to his room.