Cheryl Cole, who shared a son with Liam Payne, has issued a statement on the death of the superstar.
In a paragraph posted to Instagram, Cole pleaded with the media to stop with “abhorrent reports” and “media exploitation” of his death for the sake of their son Bear.
“As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” she said. “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
She continued, “What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future. I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces. Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them.”
Cole closed her statement, asking the public to please give “Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last.” Payne died on Oct. 16 after a fall from a hotel rooftop in Buenos Aires. He was 31.
News emerged that Payne had died from “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” after falling three floors from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina according to the city’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office. It was unclear whether the fall was an accident, with authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances.
The couple first met when Payne auditioned for the U.K. edition of “The X Factor” as a 14 year old in 2008. Cole, who was 10 years his senior, was on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh.
The two began dating in 2016 and went on to have a son together, named Bear, in 2017. They ended their relationship the following year and Payne went on to have a long-term relationship with model Maya Henry. Payne was originally in Buenos Aires with his current girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, but she left the vacation a few days earlier.
In an interview with The Sunday Times a few months after their split, Cole revealed Payne had wanted to be a father from the age of 16. “He wanted to settle down and have a family and not do the solo thing. Then [I] encouraged him to do that. And then it didn’t work out.”
The singer was best known for his work with One Direction, the boyband put together by Cowell during the 2010 edition of “The X Factor.” After Payne failed to make it through to the finals in 2008 he returned two years later, again as a solo act, before Cowell suggested uniting him with four other contestants: Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik. After the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, Payne went on to have a solo career.
Stars across the music industry paid tribute to Payne following news of his death, including the Backstreet Boys, Ty Dolla Sign and Charlie Puth. Payne’s One Direction bandmates also released statements, both individually and collectively. “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the band posted on their official Instagram page. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
See Cole’s post below.