Chris Cornell’s Daughter Toni Slams ‘Disgusting’ TMZ for Sharing Photos of Liam Payne Death Scene

Chris Cornell‘s daughter Toni Cornell slammed TMZ over the weekend for sharing photos of pop star Liam Payne’s death scene, comparing it to how the publication covered her father’s death back in 2017.

Payne, who was a member of the massively popular pop band One Direction, died last week on Oct. 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old.

TMZ shared several stories following the musician’s death, one of which contained cropped images of Payne’s body on the ground after he was discovered. According to USA Today, the site has since taken the photos down.

Toni Cornell took to social media to express her opinion of the website’s disturbing content, reflecting on the photos she saw related to her father’s death on TMZ after he died over seven years ago.

Read her full post, which was shared on her Instagram story, below.

In the wake of Liam Payne’s tragic passing, I feel compelled to speak out about the disgusting, distressing photos released by TMZ including graphic images of his hotel room and body. Having seen those photos, I can’t help but reflect on my own experience when graphic images of my fathers death were also published by TMZ. As a 12-year-old, I stumbled upon those pictures while scrolling through my iPad, and it was indescribably traumatizing, and something I still carry with me to this day. TMZ 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. While the images of Liam have since been taken down, it means nothing. They should never have been put up in the first place, and it breaks my heart to think that his 7 year old son, Bear, might one day come across them and suffer exactly as I did. It is still shocking to me that the privacy of human beings and their families fail to be respected by the public and the media, especially in times of human loss, choosing sensationalism over basic human decency. This isn’t how an artist or a father should be remembered. I’m sending so much love and support to Liam’s family and loved ones during this incredibly painful time. Rest In Peace, Liam.

The story was also shared on Chris Cornell’s Instagram page. See a screenshot below.

READ MORE: Two Rock Legends Pay Tribute After Death of One Direction’s Liam Payne

Toni Cornell is Chris Cornell’s youngest daughter, and first child with his second wife Vicky Cornell. A few months after the Soundgarden singer’s death, TMZ shared a gallery of photos online from the hotel scene the night that he died by suicide. The article is still on the website, and contains a graphic photos warning.