Influencer Jayne Rivera appeared to post photos from her dad's funeral toInstagram on Monday.- Since posting the photos, Rivera has come under fire and had her Instagram account disabled.
A fitness and fashion influencer in Florida had her Instagram account disabled by the platform just days after photos she took next to her father's casket went viral online.
Jayne Rivera posted a series of photos on Instagram on Monday following the funeral of her father, 56-year-old Jose Antonio Rivera, who died on October 11, according to NBC News. Local NBC affiliate NBC 6 reported that he was a veteran who served in Afghanistan.
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Rivera reportedly told NBC News in an interview that Instagram disabled her account "with no reason given" two days after she posted photos from the funeral.
A spokesperson for Instagram later told NBC6 that the account was removed for violating the platform's rules, not for the funeral photos in particular, but did not specify which guidelines. Rivera said, according to NBC
As of Friday morning, a search for Rivera's account yields an "unavailable" notice. Instagram did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Screenshots of Rivera's post, which has since been deleted, have circulated widely across social media. The post appeared to be captioned, "Butterfly fly away. RIP Papi, you were my best friend. A life well-lived." Accompanying the purported post were a selection of images showing Rivera in a fitted black dress standing in front of her father's open casket, which was adorned with the American flag.
In some images, she appears to be smiling, while in another she seems to be posing with her head over her shoulder. Another photo shows her holding her hands together in a prayer position while her father's body can be seen in the background. Insider was unable to independently verify the original Instagram post.
-Mac McCann (@MacMcCannTX) October 26, 2021
In an interview with NBC News on Wednesday, Rivera said that while she "understood the negative reception" to her photos, she believes that her father would have "approved" of her actions if he were still alive.
"It's my father, and I can post what I want with my father," she said. "My dad would not be mad. I think my dad is looking down rooting me on, saying that's my girl."
Rivera added that she took the photos with the "best intentions," and told NBC News, "There is nothing wrong with what I posted, and I stand by that."
In an additional statement given to NBC News, Rivera added, "Everyone handles the loss of a loved one in their own ways; some are more traditional while others might come across as taboo. For me, I treated the celebration as if my father was right next to me, posing for the camera as he had done on many occasions prior."
According to Social Blade, Rivera lost over 1,000 Instagram followers after the images were purportedly posted on Monday. On Twitter, countless users continued to criticize Rivera, with many dubbing her Instagram post "disrespectful" and "narcissistic."
Other users defended her. Writer and editor Bethany Mandel tweeted, "Not what I'd have done, though grief is a weird thing and maybe putting this girl on blast on the day of her dad's funeral is a thing you could have chosen not to do." Multiple Twitter users also said that those who were criticizing Rivera were no better than her.
"People are going to disagree, either way, and I'm used to it," Rivera said. "I am a Rivera, and I know my dad is proud of me and how things turned out. He will not be forgotten."
Rivera did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.