Liam Payne's Official Cause of Death Revealed at UK Inquest

Liam Payne’s cause of death has been confirmed by an inquest opening in his native United Kingdom.

The 31-year-old singer died on October 16 of “polytrauma,” according to a hearing that took place in December at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court. Polytrauma (multitrauma) is a short verbal equivalent used for multiple injuries that involve multiple organs or systems, according to the National Library of Medicine.

During the hearing, Payne — who died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina — was formally identified with help from funeral directors in Buckinghamshire.

“Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,” Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said during the hearing.

A preliminary autopsy report released shortly after Payne’s death indicated he died of multiple injuries and “internal and external” hemorrhages, according to the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office.

At the time, the coroners confirmed that 25 injuries in the autopsy were "compatible with those caused by a fall from a height" and noted that "the head injuries were sufficient to cause death," while the "internal and external hemorrhages" of the skull, thorax, abdomen, and limbs contributed to Payne's death.

They also confirmed that "no defensive injuries were found" and "no injuries suggested that any third parties were involved".

A toxicology report released in November by the prosecutor’s office said Payne had traces of “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his system at the time of his death.

On December 30, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office charged five people in connection with the singer’s death. 

Manslaughter charges were announced against the CasaSur hotel manager and receptionist, as well as a friend of Payne’s. A hotel employee and a waiter were charged with supplying drugs.

The waiter, Braian Nahuel Paiz, was arrested on January 3 and he is facing between four and 15 years in prison. Hotel employee Ezequiel David Pereya reportedly turned himself into the police, the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion reported.

The singer was laid to rest at a funeral in the English countryside on November 20. Attendees included girlfriend Kate Cassidy and former partner Cheryl, with whom he had a son, Bear. His One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan also attended the private ceremony.