Chris Cornell's 20-year-old daughter Toni criticized TMZ for publishing photos showing the death scene of former One Direction member Liam Payne, comparing them to the outlet's coverage of her own father's death in 2017.
Following Payne's death on October 17, TMZ initially published an alleged photo of Payne's arm and waist after his fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, identifying the singer with his tattoos. While the outlet removed the image after receiving widespread criticism, it came too late for Toni Cornell, who took to her Instagram Stories to express her displeasure with TMZ's decision to post the image in the first place.
Toni wrote the following on her Instagram Stories:
“In the wake of the tragic death of Liam Payne, I feel compelled to speak out about the disgusting and distressing photographs published by TMZ including graphic images of her hotel room and her body. After seeing those photos, I can't help but reflect on my own experience when graphic images of my father's death were also published by TMZ. When I was 12, I came across those images while browsing my iPad, and it was indescribably traumatizing, and it's something I still carry with me to this day. TMZ still hasn't chosen to have the decency, seven years later, to remove those photos from the Internet, and it's something I think should be done. While Liam's images have since been deleted, that doesn't mean anything. They should never have been placed in the first place, and it breaks my heart to think that their 7-year-old son, Bear, could one day encounter them and suffer exactly as I did. It still amazes me that the privacy of human beings and their families is not respected by the public and the media, especially in times of human loss, preferring sensationalism over basic human decency. This is not how an artist or a father should be remembered. Sending so much love and support to Liam's family and loved ones during this incredibly painful time. Rest in peace, Liam.”
Chris Cornell sadly took his life at the age of 52 on May 18, 2017, after a Soundgarden concert in Detroit. Toni, also a singer, sang “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen in Good morning America a few months later in tribute to both his father and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park.
See a screenshot of Toni Cornell's Instagram story below.
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