LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The father of a Canadian rapper and online influencer Lil Tay, who was announced dead on her Instagram, has not confirmed whether the news is true or not. The 14-year-old’s social media account included a shocking message posted on Wednesday, August 9, that announced her death.
The post declared, “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.”
‘Claire will forever remain in our hearts’
The statement went on to say, “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,” adding, “During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances of Clair and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
In a separate paragraph, the heartbreaking post stated, “Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Is Lil Tay really dead?
Her father, Chris Hope, reacted in an unusual and unexpected way when approached for a comment. He told The New York Post, “Yeah, you have the right person, but I don’t have any comment right now,” as the outlet called him. He also said, “I’m not able to give you any comment right now. I’m sorry — I can’t.”
The person also asserted that he does not know any person who can verify if Tay has died. He added, “Um, no, not that that I’m aware of. Sorry, I can’t really comment or give you any help — I’m just going to let you go.”
What did the police say?
The Vancouver Police Department’s spokesperson denied being informed of Tay or her brother’s alleged death. They said, “We haven’t gotten any reports of either death here. As of now, we are not aware and are not investigating.”
This added more mystery to the situation as the announcement on Tay's Instagram account declared that “the circumstances of Clair and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
‘Tay is in desperate need of funds’
Amid these mysteries and looming questions, the alleged abuse Tay suffered at the hands of her father has also begun to raise questions as information about it is making rounds on the internet. A GoFundMe was launched in 2021 by her elder brother Jason Tian and was titled 'Save Tay from a Life of Abuse'.
The GoFundMe request alleged, “Lil Tay will be fighting for her life, future and freedom starting April 23, 2021. Tay is in desperate need of funds to support her fight against her abusive father, as a result of this situation she has been in a state of depression.”
It stated, “ALL FUNDS raised through this GoFundMe will go towards Tay’s legal fees to give her a fighting chance in court to save her from a life of abuse. Towards her future, and freedom.”
The fundraiser also explained, “My sister Tay has been silent on social media for the past 3 years because her absentee father (Chris Hope) served my mother a court order demanding control over Tay’s money, career, and custody, and as a result, it was court ordered that my sister had to return to Vancouver, Canada. He also requested a court order to prevent her from speaking out about the truth.”
‘With your help, Tay can be saved from a life of abuse’
The GoFundMe also claimed that Chris was absent from his daughter’s life for several years. It revealed that the man “owes $400,000+ in child support that he has refused to pay since 2013. My sister has no money left, every last dollar of hers has been taken from her by Chris Hope.”
“My mother has completely exhausted all of her life savings after spending $750,000+ on legal fees in fighting for Tay’s freedom in the entire court process as well as supporting her financially since Chris Hope is not paying child support. With your help Tay can be saved from a life of abuse, this is about her future, freedom, and human rights,” the page added.
