Charges announced in connection with death of One Direction star Liam Payne

WASHINGTON — Three people have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died last month after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, authorities announced. 

Argentina’s public prosecutor announced Thursday that during its investigation into Payne’s death, “illicit conduct” was found and three people have been “charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.”

According to a press release, investigators determined Payne “was not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness at the time” of the deadly fall.

Argentine officials previously said an initial toxicology report revealed the former boy band singer had cocaine in his system after his death.

While authorities have yet to name the three individuals charged, they revealed one person had “accompanied the artist on a daily basis during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires.” A second defendant is a hotel employee accused of giving Payne cocaine, and a third is an alleged “drug supplier.” 

Payne’s autopsy concluded that the traumatic injuries that caused his death were consistent with his three-story fall from the hotel window. Prosecutors have ruled out anyone else being involved.

Argentine investigators found what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol strewn about broken objects and furniture in 31-year-old Payne’s hotel room, leading the public prosecution to surmise Payne had suffered a substance abuse-induced breakdown around the time of his fall. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.