An autopsy report has confirmed Liam Payne’s cause of death, a day after the singer died aged 31.

On October 16, the former One Direction bandmate died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

The autopsy report, according to a press release from the Argentine Public Prosecution Service, describes how the singer died and sheds light on the injuries he suffered before he died.

How did Liam Payne die?

The Sistema de Atencio Medica de Emergencia shared the following statement with Telemundo, part of NBCUniversal, following Payne’s death.

“British musician Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo,” the statement said. “In the afternoon, District 14B police personnel were directed to the hotel via a 911 call reporting an aggressive male who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

According to the prosecutor’s office, Payne received a phone call, which occurred just minutes before Payne’s death.

In a statement to the Associated Press, the Buenos Aires Ministry of Security said Payne “jumped from the balcony of his room.” Doctors noted that the singer had “very serious injuries” and pronounced him dead at the scene.

What did Liam Payne’s autopsy report reveal?

Argentina’s public prosecutor’s office shared details of Payne’s autopsy in a press release obtained by TODAY.com.

According to the autopsy, Payne died of “polytrauma and internal and external hemorrhage.”

The Public Prosecution Service called the death ‘doubtful/undetermined’, meaning that there was no conclusive information about the cause of death.

After Payne’s death, “an array of substances were seized from the musician’s room, which was alleged to be evidence of a prior alcohol and drug use situation,” the release said.

Payne was open about his addiction history before his death.

Payne’s injuries outlined

Payne died as a result of “multiple traumatic injuries” and “internal and external bleeding” he suffered after falling from the balcony, according to the prosecutor’s office release.

Forensic experts found a total of 25 injuries “compatible with those caused by a fall from height.” In particular, the singer’s brain and skull (cranioencephalic) injuries were “sufficient to cause death”.

The internal and external bleeding in his skull, chest, abdomen and extremities “contribute to the mechanism of death,” the news release said.

He was probably alone when he fell

According to the Public Prosecution Service, “everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and that he was experiencing a breakdown due to substance abuse.”

After forensic experts analyzed the singer’s hands, they found no defensive injuries, leading them to believe that “all injuries to the body were vital and caused simultaneously, and no injuries were observed that could indicate intervention by third parties.”

Furthermore, the position of Payne’s body suggested that he “did not adopt a reflexive position to protect himself and that he could have fallen into a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.”

An investigation is underway

According to the prosecutor’s office, additional investigation has been requested to determine whether alcohol or drugs were in Payne’s system at the time of his death.

After Payne’s death, officials interviewed five witnesses. The group included three hotel employees and two women who had been with Payne in his room in the hours before his death but were not present at the time of death.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, the ongoing investigation “is aimed at establishing the possible involvement of third parties in the events preceding the death of the victim.”

What is polytrauma?

The National Library of Medicine describes polytrauma as a condition characterized by “multiple injuries, some of which can cause significant disability and be life-threatening.”

The prosecutor’s statement defined polytrauma as “multiple traumatic injuries.”

Polytrauma usually means injuries involving multiple organs or systems. Common causes of polytrauma include car accidents and attempted suicide or murder.

Research shows that death from polytrauma may occur as soon as the injuries are sustained or shortly thereafter, or it may take longer. If it occurs immediately, it is usually due to primary brain injury or significant blood loss; if it is later, it is often due to secondary brain injury or because the body cannot recover from the injuries.

What was in the 911 call before Liam Payne’s death?

On the afternoon of Payne’s death, authorities responded to a 911 call from Payne’s hotel by an employee about a guest who had destroyed items in his room while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to audio of the call obtained by Telemundo.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the call was placed just minutes before Payne’s death. Payne is not mentioned by name in the call. The guest in question was at the hotel for two to three days.

The guest had “overindulged in drugs and alcohol,” the transcript said. “Well, if he’s conscious, he’ll break… the whole room. Well, we need you to send someone, please.”

During the conversation, the hotel employee expressed concerns about the guest’s well-being.

‘And we need someone urgently, because I don’t know if he’s in danger. The guest is in a room with a balcony, and we are a little worried that he does. something life-threatening,” the caller said.

Where did Liam Payne die?

A press release from the Argentine Public Prosecution Service said Payne died at the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, near Palermo. He was staying in a bedroom on the third floor of the hotel and fell from the balcony outside his room.