They chose to end a pregnancy after a tough medical test. Now they face a wave of death threats.

New Jersey web creators Jesse and Ashley Ridgway say online mobs are using their sick dog to attack them after they ended their pregnancy.

When a young couple shares a deeply private pain with the world, they hope for a little kindness. Instead, they got a digital mob.

WHAT HAPPENED

Jesse and Ashley Ridgway are popular online creators from New Jersey. Earlier this week, they told their fans some very painful news. They chose to end their pregnancy after learning their unborn child had Down syndrome.

The couple called it a very hard and traumatic choice. But the response from the internet was instant and cruel. Their inbox filled with death threats and heavy abuse.

Angry users called them murderers and compared them to bad historical figures. Jesse says some people are even using their six-year-old dog, who is very sick with kidney disease, to hurt them.

WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS

1 medical test*: Doctors told the couple their unborn baby had Down syndrome.

• 1 decision: Jesse and Ashley ended the pregnancy earlier this week.
• 1 state law: Abortion is legal at any point in New Jersey.
• 6 years old: The age of their dog with Stage 4 kidney disease, which angry users are targeting.
• 2 creators: The couple who shared their traumatic news online, sparking the immediate backlash.

THE BIGGER QUESTION

Why do we expect people on our screens to be more than human? When creators share their real lives, they open the door to harsh public judgment on private grief.

This story forces us to ask where the line lies between free speech and outright terror. How did a personal health choice become a public battle where people feel safe sending threats?

THE OTHER SIDE

Many of the people messaging the couple argue that all life has value, regardless of a medical test. They believe ending a pregnancy in this case is morally wrong.

But there is a vast gap between sharing a belief and sending death threats to a grieving family, which makes the mob's actions hard to defend.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

The Ridgways are dealing with both their loss and fears for their safety. This backlash may force other online creators to hide their medical struggles.

It shows that the internet remains a hostile place for honest talks about tough choices.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

Will the police look into the death threats made against the couple?

• How will this public anger affect their work online?
• Will the couple take a break from social media to heal in private?

SOURCE NOTE

Source: TMZ. All charges are allegations - Jesse and Ashley Ridgway are presumed innocent until proven guilty.