<\/p>\n
\n\tToni Cornell<\/a>, daughter of late Soundgarden<\/a> frontman Chris Cornell<\/a>, has publicly condemned TMZ<\/em> for their coverage of One Direction star Liam Payne\u2019s tragic death<\/a>. <\/p>\n \n\tPayne, just 31, passed away after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16. The Argentinian prosecutor\u2019s office later confirmed that his death was caused<\/a> by multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding.<\/p>\n \n\tIn a scathing statement shared on her Instagram, Toni called out the website\u2019s widely criticized decision to publish graphic photos of Payne\u2019s hotel room and body following his passing.<\/p>\n \n\tIn her heartfelt post, Toni Cornell reflected on her own traumatic experience after losing her father<\/a> in 2017. She noted how TMZ <\/em>had also published graphic images of her father\u2019s death, which deeply affected her as a 12-year-old.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHaving seen those photos, I can\u2019t help but reflect on my own experience when graphic images of my father\u2019s death were also published by TMZ,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cAs a 12-year-old, I stumbled upon those pictures while scrolling through my iPad, and it was indescribably traumatising, and something I still carry with me to this day. TMZ<\/em> still has not chosen to have the decency, seven years later, to remove those photos from the internet, and it is something I believe should be done.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThough TMZ<\/em> eventually removed the images of Payne after backlash, Toni stressed that their actions came far too late. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWhile the images of Liam have since been taken down, it means nothing. They should never have been put up in the first place,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt breaks my heart to think that his 7-year-old son, Bear, might one day come across them and suffer exactly as I did.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tCornell, 52, died in May 2017. He was found dead in his Detroit hotel room following a Soundgarden show at the Fox Theatre earlier that night.<\/p>\n \n\tToni isn\u2019t the only one to call out the shocking move. Cheryl Cole, Liam Payne\u2019s former partner and the mother of his son Bear, also slammed media coverage<\/a> of his death as \u201cabhorrent\u201d.<\/p>\n \n\tCole posted a message to Instagram Friday (Oct. 18) to \u201ckindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cLiam 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,\u201d she wrote, sharing a black-and-white photo of Payne cuddling with a newborn Bear in bed. \u201cA son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWhat 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,\u201d the singer continued. \u201cIt is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tCole concluded, \u201cPlease give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tCole and Payne dated for about two years before separating in 2018. In March 2017, they welcomed Bear.<\/p>\n \n\tThe four surviving members of One Direction also issued a joint statement saying they were \u201ccompletely devastated\u201d by the death of their bandmate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n