Liam Payne’s body to be moved as his father is mobbed by fans as he reads their shrine of tributes

Liam Payne’s grief-stricken father Geoff is working on getting his body repatriated — and he waved to fans as he was mobbed at the hotel where his son died.

Liam Payne’s grief-stricken father Geoff is working on getting his body repatriated to the UK — and he waved to fans as he was mobbed at hotel where his son died.

He was accompanied by British consular officials and hustled by security officers as he visited the Buenos Aires morgue to identify his son’s body before heading to the local prosecutor’s office to organise the repatriation of his son’s remains.

He later stopped at the hotel to collect his son’s belongings and paused to look at the shrine of tributes laid on the ground in honour of his son who touched the world as a solo singer and a member of One Direction.

Argentine paper Clarin reports the final call on when Liam’s body is released will be made by judge and the prosecutor Marcelo Roma, who is in charge of an investigation for “doubtful death.”

The transfer of his body could be approved as it has been shown that no third parties were involved in the fatal fall.

But toxicological and histopathological tests may cause a delay.

Geoff Payne, father of Liam Payne, aknowledges the fans at the memorial in tribute to former One Direction singer Liam Payne outside Casa Sur Hotel. Picture: AFP

Geoff Payne, the father of One Direction pop singer Liam Payne, looks at a note placed where fans paid tribute to his late son outside the CasaSur Hotel. Picture: AFP

Champagne, prescription drugs, white powder and foil wraps were all found in his trashed hotel room after the fatal fall at around 5pm local time.

Payne was also said to be using a potent drug that can cause hallucinations in the lead-up to his tragic death, according to police.

Before his fatal fall from a balcony of a Buenos Aires hotel room, Payne was understood to be using a dangerous substance called Cristal.

Geoff Payne, the father of One Direction pop singer Liam Payne, looks at the place where fans paid tribute to his late son outside the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires. Picture: AFP

It can cause users to “experience extreme highs and lows, often making them aggressive”, Argentine police told TMZ.

Hallucinations induced by Cristal could have played a role in his fall from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel, local authorities have said.

The development comes as it was revealed Payne entered rehab before his death but quit after just two days.

One of the last photos of Liam Payne, taken by a fan in Argentina. Picture: Supplied

Believed to be one of Liam Payne's last social media post before falling to his death. Picture Snapchat

According to The Sun, he checked into The Priory – a private addiction rehab and mental health hospital in North London in July in a bid to beat his drug and alcohol issues.

However his visit lasted little more than 48 hours into his 28-day Addiction and Therapy Program.

Payne told those close to him he wanted to beat his addictions for himself, his seven-year-old son Bear and the rest of his family.

As the investigation into his death continues, a friend of Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy told the New York Post he allegedly pleaded with her to stay with him in Argentina before she left the country and he tragically died.

Liam Payne with girlfriend Kate Cassidy, posted to social media before he died. Picture: Supplied

Liam Payne's girlfriend Kate Cassidy shared one of the final photos of the star before his death alongside a personal message. Picture: Snapchat

“Liam didn’t want Kate to leave Argentina,” a friend of Cassidy told The Post.

“He wanted her to stay. She says he begged her to stay.”

The friend who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the couple’s exchange was “actually a little more heated than you’d think”.

Cassidy shared on TikTok on Monday she “was so ready to leave” Argentina after staying two weeks when her trip was meant to last five days.

“Honestly, I love South America, but I hate staying in one place for too long,” she said.

Now, Cassidy has paid tribute to Payne, saying she is at a “complete loss” and called him her “angel”.

“Thank you for all of the kind words and love that has been sent my way. I have been at a complete loss,” she posted on Instagram. “Nothing about the past few days have felt real.”

“I ask and pray that you’ll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private,” she continued. “Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.”

Singers Niall Horan and Liam Payne of One Direction perform onstage during 102.7 KIISFM Jingle Ball in 2015. Picture: Getty

Payne, 31, spent his final days creating memories for fans who had descended on the same hotel in Argentina where he was staying to watch a concert by fellow bandmate Niall Horan.

Meanwhile a guest whose friend was waiting to check in to the same trashed hotel room Payne was in has described the harrowing moments leading up to his demise.

A 28-year-old female IT consultant from Washington DC told the Daily Mail staff at the hotel were “on edge” both due to Payne’s erratic behaviour and the fact he kept returning to the lobby rather than checking out of his room.

“I came into the hotel, and he was waiting by the elevator, and it was so clear he wanted someone to recognise him, there was something a bit desperate about him,” the witness said.

“I was with my friends and we did know who he was, but none of us were that bothered.

“When the lift came he suddenly said to us without any prompting: ‘Yes, I’m Liam!’ really drawing it out, and then said ‘All right come on you lot, get in the elevator with me, I love a cuddle’.

Cheryl and Liam Payne attend The BRIT Awards in 2018 held at The O2 Arena. Picture: Getty

“I decided against it and waited for the next one.”

The woman said Payne returned to the lobby 10 minutes later carrying his laptop.

She said he appeared to receive bad news and became very upset.

“He opened his emails and saw one which obviously upset him. Suddenly he took the computer, shouted ‘f*** this s*** mate!’ and started bashing the computer on the ground,” the witness said.

“Everyone, especially the staff was really shocked. It’s a high-end hotel and his behaviour was so out of place – people were just chilling.

“I went over, asked ‘are you OK?’ But he just kind of grunted. Then he said ‘I used to be in a boy band. That’s why I’m so f***ed up.’”

The woman said she saw Payne for a third and final time when he came and went to the lobby yet again only to fall on his face and be ushered to his room.

He fell to his death minutes later.

The witness account matches up with that of fellow guest Brett Watson of Chicago who told ITV he too saw Payne coming and going from the lobby, “causing a disturbance” and “passing out” which resulted in him having to be “physically taken back up to his room”.

Originally published as Liam Payne’s body to be moved as his father is mobbed by fans as he reads their shrine of tributes