Lil Tay, the social media personality, is still very much alive, despite her Instagram account being compromised and used to spread false and distressing information about her and her brother’s alleged death.
In a statement given to TMZ by Lil Tay’s family, she clarifies, “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 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”.”
Lil Tay expressed gratitude to Meta for assisting in the recovery of her Instagram account, and confirmed that the fabricated death announcement has been removed.
What remains unclear is the reason behind the 24-hour delay in Lil Tay affirming her well-being, especially given her awareness of the hacked account and the phone calls she received regarding her alleged “death.”
TMZ contacted local authorities in the Vancouver region and family members who were entirely unaware and uninformed about the purported passing on Wednesday. The reason has now come to light. The fraudulent news of Lil Tay’s death was declared on her Instagram account on Wednesday morning, stating her “unexpected and tragic death” as an “unbearable sorrow.” The statement also conveys that her family is in profound shock.
The statement also included the assertion of her brother’s demise, noting, “Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.”
Lil Tay gained prominence as the “World’s Youngest Flexer,” showcasing opulent living and rapping through various social media platforms. She has amassed 3.2 million followers on Instagram, even though she had not made any posts on the platform since 2018.