Is Lil Tay dead? Mystery over rapper as police have no record of tragedy - and now it seems she's spoken out

The apparent sudden death of social media sensation Lil Tay has left a lot of people speculating about the situation - and now, a day after the reports first began, it's been confirmed the reports are fake by the star herself.

It was announced Lil Tay reportedly died at the age of 15 after her parents supposedly posted a statement on her official Instagram page on Wednesday (10 August). 

It said that Lil Tay, along with her brother, had died suddenly, although no further information was provided. Now the young star has spoken out herself to say that both she and her brother are fine - and said the last 24 hours had been "traumatising" for her.

The now deleted fake statement said: "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.

"Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."

However, the situation quickly become shrouded in mystery after her former manager reportedly shed doubt on the family statement. 

According to Insider, who got in contact with Lil Tay's former manager, Harry Tsang, said shortly after the statement was posted that he had "been in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of the family's situation" but that he was still unable to "definitively confirm or dismiss" the news that Lil Tay and her brother had passed. 

"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," he said. 

"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."

The site also reported at the time that the Los Angeles Police Department and county medical examiner had no information on an investigation into the death of anyone named Claire Hope. 

The Vancouver Police Department also said they had no reports of her death and were not investigating the case. 

Lil Tay grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Furthermore, an unofficial Instagram, account termanii has said the star is not dead. It said: "TO BE CLEAR I AM NOT DEAD. I DONT HAVE ACCESS ANYMORE TO THE LIL TAY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT.

MY SISTER AND I WERE WINNING OUR CASE. IT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE WE GOT IT ALL BACK, ALL HER SOCIAL MEDIA AND COME OUT ABOUT THE TRUTH.

ME AND TAY ARE NOT DEAD. WE DONT GOT ACCESS TO THE ACCOUNT. OUR PARENTS WANTS US GONE OFF THE INTERNET BUT WE WILL NOT GO AWAY. THIS IS OUR NEW ACCOUNT (FOR NOW)."

However, the authenticity of this account could not be confirmed, leaving fans in the dark.

Now, however, Lil Tay has spoken out herself. In a statement provided to American news outlet TMZ from Tay's family, the 15-year-old 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 traumatising 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."

In the statement, Lil Tay also said that the hoax post named her as Claire Hope, but said this is not her real name at all and also explained that her account had been hacked. She said: "My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumours regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not "Claire Hope.”

It is not known who was behind the post or why they hacked in to Lil Tay's account and uploaded the fake death announcement.

Lil Tay reached stardom in 2017, when she was just nine years old, as she posted pictures of herself in luxury vehicles whilst wearing designer clothing. In 2018, she had gained 2.4m followers on Instagram and had a three-episode television documentary titled Life with Lil Tay. However, soon after she disappeared from the internet after a video leaked with a voice behind the camera feeding her lines, which people speculated to be her brother. 

In 2021, Lil Tay's Instagram account became active after years of dormancy when posts, seemingly from her brother, accused their father of physical and mental abuse, and stealing all of Tay's money. Her father, Christopher Hope denied these allegations with a cease and desist order to Instagram at the time.