Liam Payne's Ex-Girlfriend Cheryl Cole Slams "Abhorrent" Death Reports: "I Can't Protect Our 7-Year-Old Son From This"

Liam Payne's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his 7-year-old son Bear, Cheryl Cole, issued a statement following the musician's tragic death. In an Instagram post, Cheryl Cole urged the media to stop the "abhorrent reports" and "media exploitation" surrounding his death, particularly for the sake of their son, Bear. She wrote, "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. 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."

"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 the 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," she continued.

Cheryl concluded, "Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last."

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Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne first met when he auditioned for the UK edition of The X Factor in 2008, where she served as a judge. They began dating in 2016 and welcomed their son, Bear, in 2017, but ended their relationship the following year.

Liam Payne died after falling three floors from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31. Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said that he fell into a courtyard at Casa Sur Hotel. The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office confirmed to People that an autopsy revealed 25 injuries were "compatible with those caused by a fall from a height". They noted that "the head injuries were sufficient to cause death", along with internal and external haemorrhages in various parts of his body including "the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs". According to La Nación, hotel staff had previously contacted the police regarding an "aggressive man who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol."