The death of 14-year-old influencer and rapper Lil Tay has been shrouded in even more mystery after a social media star who claimed to be one of her ‘best friends’ seemingly confirmed her passing – despite the teen’s own father admitting that he does not know whether his own daughter is still alive.
News of Lil Tay’s “sudden and tragic” death was first revealed on Wednesday when someone posted a statement on the influencer’s verified Instagram account.
However, the teen’s former manager questioned the “legitimacy” of the position — which did not reveal a cause of death — and police in both Vancouver, Lil Tay’s hometown, and Los Angeles, where she had lived with her mother, told DailyMail.com had no record of her death.
But now popular Instagrammer Dynasty Jenkins has posted a tribute to Lil Tay — whose real name is Claire Hope — claiming, “I lost one of my best friends.”
Dynasty shared two photos of them together on what appeared to be a rooftop, but it’s unclear when the photos were actually taken.
Sad story: Popular Instagrammer Dynasty Jenkins has posted a tribute to her boyfriend Lil Tay after her ‘death’
Tribute: Dynasty, 26, seemingly confirmed the death of the 14-year-old social media star in her post
Social star: On August 9, it was reported that Lil Tay had passed away and her death was ‘under investigation’
In the snaps, Lil Tay was dressed in a colorful printed jacket and light blue jeans as Dynasty put her arm around her and posed for the camera.
Many people were quick to respond to the post, pointing out that Lil Tay didn’t look happy because she wasn’t smiling for the photos.
“You can see here she’s clearly not happy,” one person claimed, while another said, “she looks so sad.”
Others were eager to offer their condolences to Dynasty, with one writing, “I’m sorry for your loss,” and another commented, “I’m so sorry, my heart is with you.”
Dynasty also posted a video of them, shot on the same day, of them dancing side by side and she captioned it with a heartbroken emoji.
When Lil Tay’s father Christopher Hope was contacted by DailyMail.com, he declined to comment when asked about his daughter’s death, stating that he cannot confirm or deny the reports until he has verified them himself.
Local authorities in Vancouver, where he lives, and Los Angeles, where Lil Tay lived with her mother, had no record of any investigation into Claire’s or her brother Jason’s deaths when DailyMail.com contacted her.
An LAPD officer noted that the lack of records regarding Lil Tay and her brother suggests that “they are not, in fact, dead or (their deaths) did not occur in LA.”
“We have no information on either of these two individuals, Claire Hope or Jason Tian, who were killed or dying in Los Angeles,” he said.
“If the LA County coroners don’t have anything on them either, I’d think they’re not really dead, or it didn’t happen in LA.”
Lil Tay’s former manager Harry Tsang added further confusion when he released a cryptic statement about the news, refusing to “confirm” that the rapper had indeed passed away.
Just a teenager: Lil Tay rose to fame on the internet by posting videos of her flashing money and swearing
Shocking statement: The news of her death was announced by someone in a post shared on Lil Tay’s Instagram account
Sad news: The statement also revealed that Lil Tay’s 21-year-old brother, Jason Tian, had also passed away
Big interview: Lil Tay pictured performing on Good Morning America alongside her mother Angela Tian in 2018
In an email to DailyMail.com, Tsang said he had been in “contact with individuals who have a good understanding of the family’s situation,” but was hesitant to accept the news that Lil Tay and her brother passed away.
“Given the complexity of the current circumstances, I have come to a point where I cannot definitively confirm or deny the legitimacy of the family’s statement,” he said.
“This situation calls for careful consideration and respect for the sensibilities.”
The full statement posted on Lil Ta’s Instagram account began, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of the sudden and tragic passing of our beloved Claire.
“We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain.
“This outcome was totally unexpected and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an unimaginable depth to our grief.”
The statement further revealed that the deaths of both Tay and her brother Jason are “still under investigation.”
“At this time of immense grief, we kindly ask for privacy, as we mourn this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still being investigated,” it continued.
Keep quiet: Lil Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, (pictured together previously) declined to comment when DailyMail.com contacted him
“Claire will forever be in our hearts, her absence leaves an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
After hearing the news on Wednesday, many people pointed out that the bio on Lil Tay’s Instagram page read, “Help me,” but it’s not certain when it was changed.
Lil Tay’s brother Jason had previously set up a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise $19,000 for her following allegations of physical and mental abuse against her father and his wife, Hanee.
Attempting to explain Lil Tay’s absence online, Jason, who is not Hope’s son, wrote, “My sister Tay has been silent on social media for the past three years because her absent father (Chris Hope) sent my mother a court order. issued a warrant demanding control of Tay’s money, career and custody, and as a result my sister was ordered to return to Vancouver, Canada.
“He has also requested, through a court order, that she be prevented from speaking out about the truth.”
Jason then claimed that Hope “stole millions of dollars” from the rising star for his own benefit.