Lil Tay is allegedly alive. One day after the internet rapper and social media star’s management confirmed to PvNew that she had died, her family has allegedly issued a statement to TMZ in which she says she is “safe and alive.”
News of Lil Tay’s alleged death first arrived via an Aug. 9 post on her Instagram that has now been deleted. The post also stated that her brother had died. The family’s new alleged statement to TMZ claims that Lil Tay’s Instagram account “was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors” about her.
“I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” Lil Tay’s alleged statement to TMZ reads. “It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”
“My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong,” the statement continues. “My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope.'”
In the original Instagram post that has since been deleted, a statement read: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing. We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.”
“During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation,” the deleted statement reads. “Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Lil Tay first achieved viral fame as a 9-year-old social media influencer, where she posted rowdy videos of herself boasting about being rich and owning expensive cars. She was launched into a custody battle between her parents five years ago, while suspicious allegations appeared online about her family situation and safety. In June 2018, Lil Tay’s Instagram was wiped clean, and the words “help me” were posted to her story.
