‘Compared to Hitler’: YouTuber couple faces backlash for terminating pregnancy after learning unborn child has Down Syndrome

YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley said they are receiving death threats and online abuse after revealing they made the decision to terminate a pregnancy following a Down syndrome diagnosis.Jesse, 33, shared the news via Instagram on Wednesday. It was later reposted by 31-year-old Ashley. The couple said the decision came after doctors diagnosed the fetus with trisomy 21, which is another term for Down syndrome.“This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate our pregnancy due to trisomy 21,” Jesse wrote. Trisomy 21 is another name for Down syndrome. “The choice was not made easily.”He said the experience was “extremely painful” for both of them, and acknowledged that some of his followers may disagree with their decision.“When I first encountered this news, I felt shocked but hopeful,” Jesse wrote.They added: “If they’re a little slow intellectually, we’ll make it work. I signed up to be a parent, no matter what… but I didn’t fully understand what Down syndrome entailed.”In his publications, Ridgway also noted the health complications associated with Down syndrome, including heart defects, hearing problems, and developmental delays.

He added that he and Ashley consulted doctors, family members and genetic counselors before making their decision.He claimed that many women choose to terminate pregnancies after being diagnosed with Down syndrome. He also said he believes such decisions often remain private due to stigma.“This was much higher than I expected, and I thought it would be lower considering I heard a lot of people saying they had kept the baby or would keep the baby,” he wrote.He added: “I think this is because most terminations are done privately [and] It feels shameful. A lot of judgment is being made.”Addressing critics, including those with autism or Down syndrome, he added: “You are very important and we are happy to have you here. I commend you and your families for having the strength and courage to move forward.”He said the couple still believed they had made the right decision for their family and expressed hope of trying to conceive again in the future.“For us, we made a difficult decision that we believe will be good for our family in the long run. Fortunately, we had a choice,” Jesse said. “It will take some time to move forward, but we are excited to try again in the future and hope to get a better result.”Following the announcement, Ridgway said he and Ashley were subjected to a wave of online abuse and death threats. He said they receive “hatred and vitriol,” including being called “killer bits” and compared to Adolf Hitler.He also claimed some users targeted his six-year-old dog, who suffers from stage 4 kidney disease, as part of harassment. Ridgway condemned those sending threats, calling them “petty people” and criticizing individuals who use religious arguments to justify abuses.The couple resides in New Jersey and first announced their pregnancy in March with a social media post showing ultrasound photos. Abortion is legal in New Jersey at all stages of pregnancy, and the couple said the procedure was performed earlier this week.Jesse Ridgway (McJuggerNuggets) YouTube channel has over 4.3 million subscribers.