Lil Tay's Mom Angela Tian Details Custody Battle and "Severe" Depression Following Death Hoax

Lil Tay's mom Angela Tian is breaking her silence after the teen rapper was involved in a death hoax.

Lil Tay, 16, recently spoke out to assure fans that she's "alive and safe" after a post alleging her death—as well as the passing of her older brother Jason Tian—was shared to her Instagram. In a Aug. 10 statement from her family to TMZ, the social media star said account had been hacked "to spread jarring misinformation and rumors," noting that her legal name is Tay Tian and "not 'Claire Hope'" as the since-deleted obituary stated.

Now, a message from attorneys representing Tay's mother has been posted to the account "to clarify media confusion" surrounding the Canada native, including legal proceedings between her parents over her custody.

"Given privacy concerns related to the children, we provide a brief status update on the results in the British Columbia Supreme Court," the statement read. "MacLean Law successfully obtained orders for our client that have enabled her daughter to advance her career."

Angela now has primary custody of Lil Tay with "sole day-to-day and final decision-making powers and responsibilities in the best interests" of her daughter, according to the law firm, which E! News has independently confirmed does represent the mom. They also stated that Angela is "the person entitled to sign contracts."

Furthermore, the attorney statement said Lil Tay's dad, Christopher Hope, has been ordered to submit monthly child support payments, as well as retroactive child support owed dating back to 2014 that amounts to approximately $275,000. 

In the aftermath of the death hoax, Angela also opened up about the toll the custody battle has taken on her mental health.

"It has been years of blood, sweat and tears—this experience has put us in a constant state of severe depression, for myself and for both of my children," she told E! News in a separate statement Aug. 18. "Tay has had to talk to counselors for two hours weekly. We have dreaded every waking moment with no hope in sight for years."

Sharing there are "no words to describe the years of pain and oppression my daughter and I have suffered," Angela continued, "It breaks my heart that my children had to endure this pain for so long."

"Years have been lost—years that we will never get back and damages that will last a lifetime," she added. "I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughter's rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with."

 

Thanking her attorneys, Angela expressed hope that she and her family can "move on from this nightmare."

"We have prevailed, justice has prevailed, and God has prevailed!" she said. "My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms, and we are finally a happy family again, together."

E! News has reached out to reps for Tay and her dad Christopher for comment but hasn't heard back.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App