Liam Payne Cause of Death Confirmed as ‘Polytrauma’ in U.K. Inquest

The U.K. inquest into the cause of death for Liam Payne has concluded that the former One Direction singer and solo star died of “polytrauma” after his fall from a third-story hotel balcony in Argentina on Oct. 16. According to BBC News, the Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court was told at the hearing held on Dec. 17 that it could take “some time” to establish the cause of death for the 31-year-old star.

Polytrauma refers to multiple traumatic injuries to a person’s body and organs. The U.K. inquest’s findings mirror those of Argentinian officials, who said in November that Payne’s death was caused by “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage,” as a result of the fall.

The U.K. inquest also heard that after being flown back to England for his funeral, Payne’s body was identified with the “assistance of the funeral director in Buckinghamshire.” During the hearing, the BBC reported that Senior Coroner Crispin Butler, said, “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.”

To date, five people have been charged in Payne’s death, including the arrest last week of Braian Piaz, one of two men accused of supplying drugs to the singer. The others charged to date include CasaSur Palermo Hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Payne’s friend Roger Nores, all of whom are facing manslaughter charges; hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra has also been charged with supplying drugs to the singer.

The final autopsy report from Argentinian’s authorities attributed Payne’s death to multiple traumas and hemorrhages he suffered from the fall, with a toxicology report noting the presence of alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants in his system at the time of death. Before the fall, the head receptionist at the hotel made two emergency calls requesting medical services — the first of which reported that a guest was “trashing the entire room,” with the second expressing a concern that the guest “may be in danger.”

Payne was laid to rest in November in his native U.K. at a funeral attended by his former 1D bandmates, his girlfriend Katie Cassidy and ex-partner Cheryl Cole, with whom he shared a son, Bear.