Child social media star Lil Tay has died, her family have said in a statement on Wednesday.
The young girl, whose real name is Claire Hope, shot to fame in 2018, aged nine-years-old for her controversial viral videos.
She was originally from Canada but moved to Los Angeles and is believed to now be around 14 years old.
Lil Tay would post clips of herself driving super cars and carrying huge wads of cash, while telling her 3.3 million Instagram followers that they were broke.
Fans became concerned about Lil Tay’s welfare when she stopped posting on social media around three years ago.
Her older brother, who occasionally featured in her videos, also died recently.
A family statement posted on Lil Tay’s Instagram: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing.
“We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain.
“This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.
“During their time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.
“Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
During the height of her fame she gained popularity in the YouTube and hip-hop community.
She met with Jake Paul and even got a mention in Eminem’s 2018 song, ‘Killshot,’ with the like “go play, feel like I’m babysitting Lil Tay”.
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