Child rapper and social media personality Lil Tay was thought to have died at age 14 this week—but that’s reportedly not the case. In a now-deleted post shared on her official Instagram page on Aug. 9, a statement read: “It is with a heavy heart that we shared the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing.”
The post described her death as “entirely unexpected,” leaving her loved ones in shock. It also mentioned that her brother had recently passed away and that the circumstances around the siblings’ deaths “are still under investigation.”
In a statement to TMZ, Lil Tay clarified that this Instagram announcement was false, and she—and her brother—are actually alive:
“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. 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.”
She laid the blame on an unspecified third party “spreading jarring misinformation,” including the claim that her real name is Claire Hope. “My legal name is Tay Tian,” she wrote.
Update Aug. 10, 1pm CT: This article has been updated to reflect Lil Tay’s statement given to TMZ.
