LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mystery continues to loom around the death of 14-year-old rapper Lil Tay. Following the Instagram statement from Tay’s account announcing her death, her father and manager have cast doubt about her death.
Now social media users claim that even TMZ has retracted and deleted an article about Lil Tay’s death, however, MEAWW can’t confirm if they reported her death in the first place.
Lil Tay's 'death' news gets more mysterious
Several Twitter users have uploaded screenshots from TMZ website’s alleged story link to the news article reflecting an error message. “Damn TMZ deleted their article on Lil Tay’s passing… if this is fake for clout that’s crazy,” a Twitter user wrote.
One more social media influencer, RileyTaugor with a verified badge and over 40K followers on Twitter, wrote, “TMZ has deleted their post about Lil Tay’s death. Something is definitely going on.”
Another more user wrote, “Lil Tay is NOT DEAD. If TMZ didn’t report it and their family members didn’t confirm, then it’s not real. Y’all are so gullible and naive when it comes to the internet.”
Lil Tay's death was announced on her Instagram account
The news spread after Lil born as Clair Hope and her 21-year-old brother Jason Tian’s death was announced on her Instagram account in a statement which read in full, "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,” the statement continued.
"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."
It added, "Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."
Father casts doubt and neither denies nor confirms Lil Tay's and her brother's death
Following the announcement, the news of her death took a mysterious turn as her father Christopher Hope denied to confirm or deny Tay’s death to Business Insider.
However, the publicaton reported that Lil's Instagram was once controlled by Jason and the account often posted baseless allegations about a family dispute.
Harry Tsang the infamous star’s former manager also backed away from confirming the news. He reportedly called the situation a “cautious consideration.”
“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,” Tsang told Insider.
“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.”
It also reported that neither police nor the medical examiner in Los Angeles had information about investigations into death of Claire Hope.
'I lost one of my closest friends'
Meanwhile a friend has apparently confirmed the rapper's death. The Daily Mail reported that Dynasty Jenkins who is popular on Instagram posted a tribue for Lil. "I lost one of my closest friends," Jenkins wrote in post along with a picture of her with Lil.
The caption included broken heart and crying emojis. She also posted a video of the two dancing where she wrote, " I can't believe she's gone" with a broke hearth emoji in the caption.
