On August 9, an anonymous statement on the verified Instagram page for Lil Tay rocked the web.
It said that the once-viral, foul-mouthed child star, real name Claire Hope, had died at the age of 15. Her brother Jason Tian had died, too, according to the statement. But the shock quickly gave way to suspicion.
Lil Tay's father, Christopher Hope, as well as an ex-manager, Harry Tsang, declined to confirm the news to Insider, and no public corroboration subsequently emerged. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles and Vancouver — two cities where Lil Tay is known to have lived — said there were no active death investigations.
Many on social media became convinced it was all a hoax. And a report from TMZ the following day overtly said so, citing Tay's immediate family. The statement said Tay and her brother were "safe and alive," alleging her account had been "compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation." The statement has not been otherwise corroborated.
As social media reels about the twisted turn of events, here's what we know about the controversy-ensnared star and the long-feuding adults who have pulled the strings behind-the-scenes of her career.