Overview
- The couple announced on June 3 that they terminated a pregnancy after prenatal testing showed a high probability of Trisomy 21, saying the choice followed consultations with doctors and genetic counselors.
- After the disclosure, Jesse and his wife reported a wave of online harassment and death threats while also receiving private messages of support.
- A resurfaced 2017 clip in which Ridgway performs a caricature of a person with Down syndrome drew new anger and charges of hypocrisy, and Ridgway has defended the bit as a character performance.
- Jesse says the public fallout spilled into family relations, alleging Ashley’s relatives accused him of abuse, accused him of 'brainwashing' her, and urged her to leave him.
- Advocates and commentators have pointed to statistics showing many prenatal Down syndrome diagnoses end in termination and to research that many people with Down syndrome live fulfilling lives, and the dispute has renewed calls for clearer prenatal counseling and scrutiny of influencer responsibility.