Lil Tay confirms she is alive in new statement

10 August 2023, 18:58

Lil Tay's father says he's unable to confirm or deny her death. Picture: ABC, @liltayvia Instagram

By Woodrow Whyte

"I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive"

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Lil Tay has confirmed she is not dead and has been the victim of a cruel social media hack.

Yesterday (Aug 9), news broke that viral star Lil Tay (real name Tay Tian) had reportedly died, aged 14.

Now, in a statement to TMZ (Aug 10), Lil Tay said: "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 also says, "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. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope"."

According to TMZ, Lil Tay thanked Meta for helping to get her Instagram account back, who removed the post. It's still unclear why it took Tay 24 hours to get word out she's alive via other means.

Yesterday, a post on her verified Instagram account stated that the teenage influencer had sadly, unexpectedly passed away, alongside her brother, and that the "circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother's passing are still under investigation".

News quickly spread across the internet, with many fans and followers sharing tributes to Lil Tay.

However, it's now been reported by Insider that Lil Tay's father, Christopher Hope, was unable to either confirm or deny that she has actually died when reached for comment.

Similarly, her former manager has also now said that the situation calls for "cautious consideration".

In response to Insider's request for comment in regard to Lil Tay's reported passing, her father, Christopher Hope, told the publication that he "could not comment on the Instagram post and declined to answer whether his daughter was still alive."

Harry Tsang, Lil Tay's former manager also issued a statement, saying: "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. My commitment remains focused on delivering updates that are both reliable and appropriately timed."

Additionally, Insider reported that the Los Angeles Police Department and the county medical examiner have no information on an investigation into the death of anyone named Claire Hope.

The Vancouver Police Department – where Lil Tay grew up – also had no reports of her death and were not investigating the case.