Getty Images
Liam Payne’s father, Geoff Payne, appeared heartbroken at the scene of his son’s death and publicly mourned him alongside devastated fans.
of BBC According to reports, Payne, 66, arrived at the Casasul Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on Friday to pick up her son’s belongings. Former One Direction member Liam Payne died after falling from the balcony of his room on the property on October 16th.
Jeff Payne appeared at the hotel in the morning and greeted a crowd of fans with a makeshift memorial decorated with flowers, fan drawings and magazine clippings of his son.
Payne reportedly thanked the fans for their presence. In return, fans took it upon themselves to protect Liam’s father from the media, with some even filming themselves.
Getty Images
The BBC reports that the lockdown was temporary to give Geoff private time to visit the memorial.
An investigation is underway into the cause of Liam’s death, but initial autopsy findings rule out a defensive wound, suggesting he may have fallen or intentionally jumped from his balcony.
Other former members of One Direction paid tribute to Payne in the days following his death, as did many celebrities, family and friends.
His sister Ruth Gibbins posted: Instagram Liam was her “best friend” and said: “No one made me laugh like he did. I always winced when I said what I thought of him. He saw how funny he was. I loved it,” he said.
