Lil Tay’s Family Claims 14-Year-Old Is Alive After Instagram Was Hacked: “It’s Been a Very Traumatizing 24 Hours”

Lil Tay is allegedly alive after news of her death broke just yesterday (Aug. 9). The family of the controversial young rapper — who was presumed dead at age 14 after a statement posted to her Instagram announced the “sudden and tragic” passing of both her and her brother — told TMZ that Lil Tay is actually alive and was the victim of an Instagram hack.

“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,” reads the statement shared with TMZ today from Lil Tay’s family. “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.”

The statement continues, “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’.”

The post announcing Lil Tay’s death has since been removed from her Instagram account. The statement to TMZ comes after multiple outlets — including Insider and TMZ — tried to contact authorities requesting information about the deaths of Lil Tay and her brother only to be told there were no active investigations into their passings.

Lil Tay’s former manager and her father both refused to confirm the news of her death. When contacted by Insider yesterday, Lil Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, said he could not comment on the death announcement shared to her Instagram.

Lil Tay’s last-known manager, Harry Tsang, also gave an opaque statement to  Entertainment Tonight yesterday, telling the outlet he wanted to share “the most accurate and timely information as possible.”

“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.”

Tsang added, “I encourage everyone to rely on reputable and official sources for information. We must exercise patience while awaiting further developments before drawing any conclusions. Thank you for your understanding and discretion as we navigate through this situation.”

The since-deleted message posted to Lil Tay’s Instagram yesterday alleged that she and her brother had suddenly died, but did not provide specific details of either of their deaths.

“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,” the statement read. “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.”

The message continued, “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.”