On Wednesday (Aug. 9), a now-deleted Instagram post revealed that social media sensation Lil Tay suddenly passed away at the age of 14. However, today (Aug. 10), she revealed that she was not dead. The influencer shared that her social media account had been hacked roughly 24 hours after the initial broadcast was made.
In a statement made to TMZ, Tay clarified, “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. 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.”
She added, “My Instagram account was compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope.’”
In the original post, an announcement 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.”
However, the influencer’s last-known manager, Harry Tsang, revealed that he could neither confirm nor deny Tay’s death on the evening the news broke. He said, “Given the complexities of the current circumstances, I am at a point where I cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family. This situation calls for cautious consideration and respect for the sensitivities involved.”
Tay rose to popularity as a 9-year-old. Gaining support from the likes of Chief Keef, Lil Bibby, XXXTENTACION, and more, she posted videos of her flexing wads of cash and luxury clothes. In June 2018, Tay’s Instagram was also wiped clean, and the words “help me” were posted to her Story.
Fast forward to 2021, Lil Tay’s brother launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his sister’s legal fees and revealed that she was being abused by her father, Christopher Hope. After raising over $15,000, Hope came out and denied the allegations.
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