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YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley ignited a controversy by revealing their decision to terminate her pregnancy.
They announced in a June 2026 Instagram post that Ashley underwent an abortion because their unborn child received a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis. (Down syndrome is also known as Trisomy 21.)
“This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21,” Jesse wrote via his Instagram Stories on June 3, 2026. “The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we receive from fans with no matter what we decided.”
A huge outcry followed, with the Ridgways allegedly receiving death threats and other abuse via social media. The backlash grew so intense that Jesse revealed that he and Ashley started sleeping with a gun near their bed for safety.
Keep scrolling for a full timeline of the Ridgways’ relationship and their controversial decision to have an abortion:
Jesse Ridgway and Ashley Started Dating in 2019
In October 2019, Jesse Ridgway — who is known as McJuggerNuggets on social media — went public with his new girlfriend, Ashley May, after four days of dating.
“[She’s] the girl of my dreams,” Jesse beamed in a vlog at the time. “Guys, I wanted to do a separate sitdown video to address the elephant in the room, which is: we’re dating! It’s official!”
The two originally met on Tinder.
Jesse Ridgway Proposed to Ashley in October 2024
The couple revealed in an October 2024 vlog that Jesse popped the question after dating Ashley for five years.
“Ashley and I are getting married … which is actually pretty wild to say,” Jesse admitted. “Five years of dating guys … I kinda manifested everything. I called her the ‘girl of my dreams,’ and it was this cool, romantic video.”
Ashley and Jesse Ridgway Courtesy YouTube / McJuggerNuggets
Ashley revealed, “[He] even said a week into dating, pretty much, that we were going to get married and we were gonna have kids. A week into dating!”
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway Got Married in October 2025
Jesse tied the knot with Ashley on October 06, 2025, in a sunset beach ceremony in Ocean City, New Jersey.
“We’re officially married,” Jesse announced in a subsequent vlog, with Ashley excitedly interjecting. “Holy crap!”
Jesse admitted that the newlyweds opted for a “run and gun” wedding where only a few loved ones knew ahead of time.
“This was super private,” he told viewers. “My whole life is public.”
Ashley added, “We just wanted something intimate.”
The Ridgways Confirmed They Were Expecting a Baby in March 2026
Ashley and Jesse shared via Instagram in March 2026 that they were expecting their first child. They couple posted a carousel of images of a sonogram, along with the caption, “BABY RIDGWAY – COMING FALL 2026.”
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway Shared Their Unborn Child’s Down’s Syndrome Diagnosis in a Vlog
In April 2026, Ashley and Jesse released a video where they learned on camera that their child had received a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis.
“We were so excited to celebrate the gender reveal in a Psycho video with you guys, but in true ‘art imitates life’ — fashion…there had to be a dark twist,” Jesse wrote via Instagram in April. “The same genetic testing that told us our baby would be a boy revealed to us that he had a 95 percent chance to be born with Down Syndrome.”
He went on, “Syndrome carries a very HIGH risk of miscarriage and usually comes with heart defects, structural abnormalities, developmental issues, shorter lifespan, etc.”
“As excited as we are to become parents, this was a gut-punch … We want the best for our first kid … and even putting Ashley at risk … so many questions and concerns,” he continued.
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway. Courtesy of Ashley Ridgeway / Instagram
At the time, Jesse said that he believed that the “down syndrome percentage is a fluke and our baby boy will be born with zero health problems.”
“We will be getting an amniocentesis in around a month to give us a definitive answer on the baby’s health, until then we’ll just be keeping the faith that everything will work out OK,” he confirmed. “Thanks for being with us on this ride. Whatever happens, happens.”
The Ridgways Announced Their Decision to Terminate Ashley’s Pregnancy
A June 2026 post confirming that Ashley underwent an abortion was flooded with abusive comments and threats, including some accusing the Ridgways of “murder.”
“I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated,” Jesse acknowledged in the June 3, 2026, Instagram post. “This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.”
He shared that “everything went smoothly” with Ashley’s abortion procedure, though they both felt “drained.”
“When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work,” Jesse wrote. “I signed on to be a parent, come what may. I just didn’t fully understand what Down syndrome entailed.”
Jesse and Ashley’s views on carrying the child to term changed when they learned about the health complications that can come with Down’s syndrome.
“I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family,” the influencer wrote in his statement. “We spoke with doctors, friends, family and genetic counselors and learned that up to 90 percent of women terminate their pregnancy after learning the baby has Trisomy 21. … You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you and then things change.”
Jesse continued, “As for us, we made a difficult decision that we believe in the long-run will be beneficial for our family. Thankfully, we had a choice. It will take a little time to move on, but we are excited to try again in the future and hopefully have a better outcome.”
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway Took Safety Precautions Amid Death Threats
Appearing on TMZ Live on June 5, 2026, Jesse and Ashley confirmed that they were taking death threats seriously.
“With the death threats and everything, it has been shocking,” Jesse said. “Close people to us are very judgmental. Religious-based [people] saying we’re going to burn in hell. ‘We deserve to die.’”
He went on, “We had a [security] gate installed. I have a gun next to my nightstand because it’s been getting so ridiculous and [threats] have been coming to emails, DMs, you name it. We’ve seen the darkest side of humanity through this process.”
Despite the backlash, Ashley insisted that she did not regret her decision to have an abortion.
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway Addressed Numerous Conspiracy Theories
Jesse engaged directly with detractors throughout the controversy, even attempting to debunk conspiracy theories that sprung up on social media.
“Ya’all can’t even keep your stories straight, it’s crazy,” he wrote on June 7. “Was she 6-months pregnant or 3-months pregnant? 18 weeks or 21 weeks? Was it a definitive Down Syndrome diagnosis or just suspected? All the info has already been provided by us, but everyone just picks, chooses or makes s*** up to fit their own narrative.”
“As we creep further into the brainrot era of social media, people will forget how to even properly think for themselves. The conspiracy rabbit holes deepen as people start to question if it was all real or fake…?” he added. “Zooming in on ultrasound pics and my wife’s belly? Internet detectives putting in overtime only to discover their own tail. And we’re the ones with a problem… 🙄”
Jesse and Ashley Ridgway Revealed How Their Families Reacted to Abortion
In a June 8 Facebook video, Jesse and Ashley shared footage the night after her termination procedure.
“Was this your parents? That’s really sweet,” Ashley told her husband in the video. “It says, ‘Life is tough but so are you. This bracelet stands for the waves of life you’ve been through. … You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to ride them.’”
Plenty of celebrities — both those with and without children — have opened up about having abortions over the years. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, tons of stars took to social media to express their outrage over the decision. Cheryl Burke revealed that she had one when she […]
However, the couple revealed that Ashley’s parents were “nowhere to be found” in the wake of the controversy.
“Some [in her family] even going as far as joining in on the bandwagon hate PUBLICLY, kicking her while she’s down at her lowest point,” Jesse claimed. “She has received text messages from her family accusing me of abuse and that I’m brainwashing her…issuing ultimatums that she needs to LEAVE ME IMMEDIATELY. Audacious s*** that will have your head-spinning because of the delusion and lack of consideration.”
Jesse Ridgway Said the Hate He and Ashley Received Was Unprecedented
Jesse released a new statement to People on June 10 where he tried to offer more insight on why he and Ashley chose to abort her pregnancy.
“We were confronting the scenario of having the baby, and playing out every possible scenario about what it would look like and how we would make it work, what happens if they have these health problems, and need these surgeries,” Jesse insisted. “It was so real to us. I wish people could empathize with us, and know this wasn’t some black and white decision.”
The YouTuber admitted he and Ashley were totally unprepared for the avalanche of social media abuse they’d received.
“I’ve been making content for 20 years, so we’ve seen hate before. But not to this degree,” Jesse said. “Every second is a new death threat towards me and my wife. The amount of private support we’ve received is also overwhelming.”
