Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy seen for first time since tragedy

Liam Payne‘s girlfriend Kate Cassidy has been seen in public for the first time since posting about her grief for the One Direction star after his tragic death. 

Ms Cassidy, 25, left Argentina two days before the singer plunged 45ft to his death, aged 31, from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last Wednesday. 

The actress this weekend was spotted in Florida picking up dog food for the pooch she shared with Payne. 

Ms Cassidy walked along the street with two pals while holding a bag under each arm. 

She and Payne had originally flew to Buenos Aires to watch his former bandmate Niall Horan‘s concert on October 4, but he remained in the country after his girlfriend flew home on October 14.

On Friday she broke her silence to pay an emotional tribute to Payne. The post on her Instagram read: ‘Thank you for all of the kind words and love that has been sent my way. 

‘I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real. I ask and pray that you’ll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private.’

‘Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.’ 

Ms Cassidy and Payne first started dating in October 2022, and made their red carpet debut at the Fashion Awards later that year. 

The pair then put an end to split rumours by enjoying a date in London in June 2023, and later that year she supported him when he was rushed to hospital with a ‘serious kidney infection’. 

The former One Direction star fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Palmero hotel.

Police and prosecutors and continuing to investigate the tragedy which is being treated as an ‘inconclusive death’.

A post-mortem examination has determined that he died from multiple injuries. 

Lead investigator, Prosecutor Marcelo Roma, has called for histopathological, biochemical and toxicological studies to be carried out, to confirm whether the musician was drugged and intoxicated.

With those results expected to take between 10 to 15 days, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office is currently treating his death as ‘inconclusive’, it has emerged.

His father Geoff has travelled to the Argentine capital to visually confirm the body is his son’s and to arrange for its repatriation back to the UK once it is released by the authorities. His funeral is expected to take place in November.

Today two workers at the hotel where Payne fell to his death are being investigated for supplying the star with drugs in the days leading up to the tragedy.

The men are accused of smuggling them into the singer’s suite at the hotel. 

A cleaner and another member of staff are said to have hidden the drugs in a Dove soap box which detectives found in Payne’s room following his death.

White powder, crystals, tablets and other paraphernalia were discovered in the third-floor suite.

Police have sent the chemicals – believed to be cocaine and crack cocaine – for analysis.

Management at CasaSur, in the upmarket district of Palermo, are understood to have been made aware of the unusual behaviour of the unnamed men and dismissed one member of staff.

Detectives have also questioned them about their possible role in Payne’s death.

‘There were two guys at the hotel that were giving Liam drugs,’ a close friend of Mr Payne has revealed.

‘They sent taxis out to collect packages for him. One of the guys was working in the cleaning department. After Liam died, they noticed that one taxi was sent to the cleaner’s home address.

‘The hotel manager asked him why the taxi had gone to his home and when he couldn’t give an explanation he was fired.

‘The cleaner and another member of staff have been interviewed by the police.’

The friend added: ‘Liam was doing everything to stay clean but as soon as he got to the hotel these people were offering him alcohol and drugs.’

Representatives of the CasaSur Hotel have so far declined to comment.