In the aftermath of the abrupt announcement of influencer Lil Tay‘s death, questions and uncertainties loom large. Born Claire Eileen Qi Hope, the social media sensation made a name for herself through a controversial online presence but became the subject of conflicting statements and concerns regarding the legitimacy of her reported passing.

On Wednesday (Aug. 9), a statement on Tay’s Instagram account declared both the personality and her brother’s sudden deaths. Given that the social media page remained untouched for five years, it left fans and followers in shock. However, the validity of the announcement soon came into question later that evening.

The influencer’s last-known manager, Harry Tsang, released a statement saying, “Given the complexities of the current circumstances, I am at a point where I cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family. This situation calls for cautious consideration and respect for the sensitivities involved.”

When contacted by The New York Post, Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, declined to confirm his daughter’s passing. “Yeah, you have the right person, but I don’t have any comment right now,” he reportedly said in a brief call before quickly hanging up. He added, “I’m not able to give you any comment right now. I’m sorry — I can’t.”

Adding to the uncertainty, another individual claiming to be a former manager of Tay also questioned the unsigned statement about her death. “One thing I would question is who posted that statement and why isn’t it signed by anyone from the family,” they told The Sun. The person added, “Why is it not signed, ‘This is Tay’s mom,’ or ‘This is the dad of Lil Tay,’ or from an official representative? Why is there no attachment?”

Allegations of “physical and mental” abuse by Lil Tay’s father, which surfaced in an April 2021 GoFundMe profile, have also returned amid the unfortunate news.

Lil Tay’s fame began in 2018 with her videos flaunting wealth and luxury name brands. She rose to popularity thanks to being in proximity to other celebrities like Chief Keef, Bhad Bhabie, and XXXTENTACION. Her unexpected exit from social media led to years of silence, only to be broken by this bewildering announcement.