What is 'abandonment of person followed by death'? Prosecutor charges three people in Liam Payne's death case

There has been a new update in the case of former One Direction member Liam Payne's death. Argentine prosecutors charged three people with abandonment of a person followed by death and supplying drugs to Payne while he was in the country.

Law enforcement detained three individuals, including one friend, one drug supplier, and another hotel staff, after their houses were raided in connection to the death of Liam Payne. On November 7, a press release revealed that the suspects had been officially charged.

One of the charges is against Liam's alleged friend who the prosecutors claim was with the singer throughout his travels in Argentina. The friend has been charged with abandonment of a person followed by death, which is essentially when a person knowingly abandons another and in some way causes their death. As per the Argentine prosecution, this contains a sentence of up to 15 years.

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Suicide ruled out in the Liam Payne case as abandonment and drug-related charges brought against three suspects

As per local reports, on November 7 the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 revealed that the three suspects who had earlier been raided and detained by the police in relation to Liam Payne's death had been charged.

Here is an English translation of the Spanish press release from El Mundo:

"Within the framework of the investigation into the death of British musician Liam James Payne, which occurred on October 16 when he fell from a balcony in a hotel in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, illicit conduct was discovered from which three people were charged with the crimes of abandonment of person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics"

As mentioned, the friend who accompanied Liam Payne in Argentina and met up with him on several occasions has been charged with abandonment. The other two, including an employee of the hotel where the singer stayed, have been charged with supplying him with drugs.

According to the latest toxicology reports, traces of cocaine, prescription antidepressants, and alcohol were found on Payne's body. The report suggests that the singer had allegedly consumed such narcotics in the three days leading up to his death.

The press release also dispels speculation of suicide which had initially garnered traffic following Liam Payne's death. The investigation found all of his injuries were probably caused by the fall from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel on October 16 and ruled out self-harm and third-party intervention.

The reports revealed by the prosecutor's office also claimed that Payne's posture at the scene indicates that he might have been in a state of semi-consciousness at the time of the fall.

Liam Payne's body was flown out of Argentina and returned to the UK. The body arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, on November 7 after a delay due to the ongoing investigation into his death. Details about the funeral are still unclear, and the family has not made any public announcements regarding the internment.