Argentinian prosecutors charge three over death of singer Liam Payne

Three people have been charged over the death of One Direction singer Liam Payne’s death, according to the Argentine prosecutor’s office.

Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system when he died, authorities said in a statement.

They have charged someone close to Payne, a hotel employee, and a suspected drug dealer, it was announced on Thursday.

All three are accused of playing a role in giving Payne the drugs. The person who was visiting with Payne is also charged with “abandonment of a person followed by death”, authorities said. They are not naming those who have been charged.

Payne, who had a child, died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony on October 16 in Buenos Aires. He died from multiple injuries caused by the fall. His body was found in the hotel’s internal courtyard.

Payne was a member of the popular boy band One Direction, formed in 2010 after its members, Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, had auditioned as solo acts for the television show The X-Factor.

The band was created by the show’s judge, Simon Cowell and shot to international fame. The group had been on hiatus since 2016 as the band members pursued solo careers.