Legal battle with ex 'overwhelmed' Liam Payne before tragic death
Liam Payne, the former member of the popular boy band One Direction, died on Wednesday. He was 31. The British singer's death was confirmed by Policia Federal Argentina after he fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. The incident occurred at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel and is currently being investigated by local authorities. Now, a report by PEOPLE suggests that the singer was struggling with legal problems surrounding his ex-fiancee, Maya Henry.
Payne's personal struggles surfaced before his death
A source told PEOPLE that the singer was "extremely overwhelmed by all of the legal issues" surrounding Henry. Last week, Henry had sent a cease-and-desist order to Payne after accusing him of repeatedly contacting her after their split in 2022. They reportedly started dating in 2018.
Henry accused Payne of harassment and manipulation
Henry, a 23-year-old model and author, posted a TikTok video on October 6 where she alleged that an unnamed ex-boyfriend, linked to "One Direction fans," was constantly reaching out to her. She said that the person would call from various numbers and even email her. "Not only me, but he'll blow up my mom's phone. Is that normal behavior to you?"
Henry further alleged Payne of 'weaponizing' fans against her
"It's always from different phone numbers too. I never know where it's going to come from," Henry had alleged. In the same video, she accused this person of manipulating his fan base. "He says that he 'preys on One Direction fans because they will always be loyal to him and they won't tell on him.'" She alleged that he used these tactics to turn fans against her.
'He would play with death': Henry about Payne
In a recent episode of The Internet Is Dead podcast, Henry said, "He would always message me ever since we broke up [saying], 'Oh, I'm not well." "He would always play with death and be like, 'Well, I'm going to die. I'm not doing well." "There was one time I tried to get him help and then he was not taking it. He would text my mom, 'I'm not doing well, have Maya contact me."
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey
Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear Grey, whom he shared with ex-partner and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl. The news of his death was first reported by Argentine news channel TN. Till now, no further details about the circumstances surrounding Payne's death have been released and authorities are investigating whether it was an accidental fall or suicide.
