What does a safety pin necklace mean? Fans left distraught as Liam Payne TikTok theory goes viral

A TikTok conspiracy theory about former One Direction singer Liam Payne has spread across the internet like wildfire. This comes after Payne tragically passed away on October 16 after falling off of a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was revealed that the musician died from “polytrauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” while being under the influence of drugs. Now, fans are discussing his mental health across social media platforms.

Trigger Warning: The following article discusses s*icide and addiction. Reader’s discretion is advised.

X user @moniqe_monica took to the social networking site to share a screenshot from a video the musician had taken of himself. In it, the Strip That Down singer was seen wearing a safety pin necklace, which caught the eyes of internet sleuths.

The user also attached a screenshot of what a safety pin jewelry piece symbolizes, claiming:

“SAFETY PIN MEANING if someone is wearing a safety pin necklace/ bracelet everyday, it is usually a promise not to kill themselves, especially if they have attempted before.”

Fans were heartbroken as they conspired that Liam Payne was possibly battling mental health struggles at the time of his passing. Some comments online read:

“I’m so frustrated why did no one notice, it was all happening right in front of our eyes,” an X user said.

“F**k this is breaking my heart,” an internet user said.

“Nononooooo someone should have saved him my poor Beautiful and warmhearted boy,” a platform user said.

A source also told Page Six that the musician was in the midst of a mental health crisis at the time of his passing. They said:

“Liam had been cycling through periods of ruinous behavior for a long time. He was open about his struggles but tried to downplay them at times. His demons were much worse than he let on.”

Other comments read:

“I just broke down,” an X user said.

“I keep thinking about this I had hope he’d be okay,” a platform user said.

“Liam was screaming for help in plain sight,” a netizen commented.

Liam Payne was vacationing in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy. The duo were attending fellow One Direction bandmate Nial Horan’s MoviStar Arena concert. Cassidy departed from the country on October 14, while Payne stayed back and checked into a hotel. Meanwhile, other reactions read:

“I will never forgive them for not bringing him to the hospital instead of his room,” an X user said.

“I just found out that Liam took off his safety pin necklace and donated a lot of money to sick children on GoFundMe a few days prior to the tragedy. He was screaming for help but no one knew,” a platform user said.

---

Buenos Aires police confirmed that Liam Payne was under the influence of drugs at the time of his passing

Local police told TMZ on October 18 that they found a dangerous substance known as “Cristal” in Liam Payne’s body as they performed an autopsy. As per TMZ, the drug makes people “aggressive” and experience “extreme highs and extreme lows.”

The police opined that his drug consumption was likely the reason behind his erratic behavior, which included experiencing hallucinations.

Law enforcement also reportedly found cocaine in his hotel room alongside other drug paraphernalia.

Liam Payne said in a 2021 podcast that he had hit his “rock bottom” and suffered from “suicidal ideation” while performing with One Direction.

Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son Bear, whom he shares with Cheryl Cole.