Lil Tay is alive, claims Instagram account was hacked, TMZ reports
Canadian social media star Lil Tay is alive and claims her Instagram account was hacked prior to the post announcing her death this week, according to TMZ.
The outlet shared a statement attributed to the Vancouver-area teenager saying she was "completely heartbroken" as news of her death spread on Wednesday.
"All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess," read the statement, which was provided exclusively to TMZ.
The positive update was welcomed by many of her 3.4 million followers, though some questioned why it took more than 24 hours for the family to publicly dispute the reports of her demise.
The news made it to numerous Canadian, American and International news outlets, including Variety, the L.A. Times and The Guardian.
CTV News reached out to Tay's father, a former manager, the B.C. Coroners Service and several police departments across the Lower Mainland on Wednesday, but was unable to corroborate the claims of her death shared on her official account.
The post in question was removed from Tay's Instagram account on Thursday morning. The teenager told TMZ she sought help from Meta to regain control of the account.
CTV News has reached out to Meta for comment on Tay's hacking claims.
Tay became a viral sensation in 2018 through posts that featured her swearing, posing with stacks of $100 bills and bragging about buying expensive sports cars – despite only being nine years old at the time.
"Lil Tay has copped a brand new Ferrari. Y'all haven't seen this car in your lives, I'm out here flexing and all y'all broke-ass haters," she says in one video, which was viewed 13 million times.
"Y'all grown ass men hating on me 'cause you're broke and jealous."
Prior to Wednesday's post, her account appears to have been dormant for several years.
One 2018 video landed Tay's mother, former real estate agent Angela Tian, in hot water after one of her clients recognized his home being used as a backdrop for a Lil Tay video.
The Metro Vancouver property was presented as an apartment overlooking the Hollywood Hills. Tian ultimately resigned from Pacific Evergreen Realty, the company that was representing the listing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.