An Instagram post that falsely claimed that viral child star Lil Tay and her brother had died has been removed. The post, supposedly from Lil Tay’s family, was published on Wednesday and quickly spread on social media, causing people to express their sadness. However, TMZ reported on Thursday that the post was a hoax.
In a statement provided to TMZ by her family, Lil Tay clarified that she and her brother are safe and alive. She explained that her Instagram account had been compromised by a third party who spread false information and rumors about her, even using the wrong name for her. Lil Tay’s real name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope’.
Several police agencies stated that they had no knowledge of Lil Tay’s death or any related investigation. Lil Tay’s parents have not responded to requests for comment, and her father declined to comment on Wednesday. In the past, Lil Tay and her mother had claimed that her Instagram account had been hacked, and there were previous reports of third parties having access to it. Despite this, various media outlets reported the post from Wednesday as if it were authentic, even though it was made on a verified account.
The post, which has been deleted, requested privacy for the family while they grieved. It mentioned that the circumstances surrounding Lil Tay and her brother’s deaths were still being investigated. However, as of 2020, Lil Tay was living in Vancouver, Canada, and there was a custody dispute between her parents over how to manage her career.
Lil Tay rose to fame in 2017 as a controversial and foul-mouthed 9-year-old. However, questions arose about her family’s influence on her as a viral sensation after a video surfaced of her brother allegedly feeding her lines. In 2018, her Instagram account posted ‘Help Me,’ leading to concerns for her safety. Accusations of abuse against her father were made on her Instagram account, but they were later claimed to be false and part of a plot by her mother and brother.
In a follow-up statement, Lil Tay’s former manager expressed relief that she was safe but believed that her Instagram account was never hacked. He speculated that there might have been motives behind the false post, such as extracting funds from supporters or trying to regain Lil Tay’s fame.