Argentina charges five defendants for the death of singer Liam Payne

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina— Five people have been charged in Argentina over the death of British singer Liam Payne, who fell from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony in October after consuming alcohol and drugs, prosecutors said Monday.

Three of the five were charged with involuntary manslaughter and the other two with supplying illegal drugs to the former One Direction pop star, prosecutors said, identifying the suspects only by their initials.

The last two were ordered detained, but the others were allowed to remain free, prosecutors said.

Payne died on October 16 after falling from the balcony of his third-floor room at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital.

His death at age 31 sparked a global outpouring of grief from family, former bandmates, fans and others, with thousands of people gathering in cities around the world to offer their condolences.

The unnamed people charged with involuntary manslaughter are a representative of the singer who was traveling with him, a woman who manages the hotel where Payne died and the front desk manager, prosecutors said.

Those accused of supplying drugs to Payne are a hotel employee and a waiter Payne met in other parts of the city, they added.

British singer-songwriter Liam Payne poses on the red carpet upon arrival at the BRIT Awards 2019 in London on February 20, 2019. AFP PHOTO

Prosecutors said last month that Payne had used cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before he died.

The pop star had spoken publicly about her struggle with substance abuse and dealing with fame from a young age.

In November, Argentine officials had revealed initial charges against three people in Payne’s death. Monday’s decision means five will now go to trial.

One Direction, one of the world’s highest-grossing live acts in the 2010s, went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne enjoyed some solo success, but his career had recently languished.

Payne’s death sparked a debate over whether the music industry has a duty of care for the mental health of stars who find fame at a young age.

The singer from Wolverhampton, central England, first auditioned at the age of 14 for the popular television talent show “The X Factor”, but was unsuccessful.

Two years later he won gold on the show, which teamed him with Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik to form One Direction.

Over the next six years, the group enjoyed worldwide fame and legions of screaming fans, selling more than 70 million copies of their five albums. They went on four world tours and won almost 200 awards.

Payne is survived by a seven-year-old son, Bear, with Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy.