The family of pop star Liam Payne have criticised the media for causing "indescribable, lasting damage" in the wake of his death.
The 31-year-old singer died in October last year, after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
In a statement released to the media, his family called the death an "unspeakable tragedy".
They also criticised the "attention and speculation" in the press that caused "indescribable, lasting damage on the family, particularly on Liam's son, who is trying to process emotions which no seven-year-old should have to experience".
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The statement said that the family had accepted the Court of Appeal's decision to drop all charges in relation to Payne's death.
Charges were dropped against three defendants: Payne's friend Roger Nores, who had accompanied him during his trip to Buenos Aires; Gilda Martin, the manager of the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel where Payne died; and Esteban Grassi, the hotel's main receptionist.
Two others are still facing prosecution for allegedly supplying Payne with drugs, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in Argentina.
Liam Payne's fans gathering outside Casa Sur Hotel. Credit: Mariano Garcia/Alamy Live NewsToxicology tests revealed that before his death, he had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body.
In early November, the prosecutor's office ruled out self-harm as a factor in the One Direction star's death.
The "state" Mr Payne was in meant "he did not know what he was doing, nor could he understand it", ruling out the " possibility of a conscious or voluntary act".
A postmortem ruled his cause of death as "polytrauma" from multiple injuries and internal and external bleeding.
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, had a complicated personal life and spoken openly about his struggles with alcoholism and mental health. He was also diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
Reporting via IRN.
Main image: People pay tribute to Liam Payne at the foot of the statue of Lady Wulfrun at St Peters Collegiate Church. 6/11/2024 Credit: Gustavo Pantano/Alamy Live News
