'16 & Pregnant' Star Jordan Cashmyer Dead At 26

"16 & Pregnant" alum Jordan Cashmyer has passed away at just 26 years old.

Cashmyer appeared on the MTV reality show in season 5, which aired in 2014. The segment featured both her and her then-boyfriend, Derek Taylor. Cashmyer was disowned by her family, who did not approve of their relationship. The homeless teen struggled to find work and eventually gave birth to her daughter, Evie.

Although the two broke up after filming ended, Cashmyer's father passed away shortly after. In 2015, Cashmyer temporarily signed over custody rights to Derek's mother.

In 2017, Cashmyer was arrested for drug possession. After her release, she started working at a strip club and had been committed to her recovery. She had celebrated one year of sobriety in 2021.

Numerous reports have stated that a medical examiner has not released a cause of death at this time.

On Sunday morning, Jordan's mother Jessica Cashmyer announced her daughter's passing shortly before 9 AM. She posted the news on her husband, Dennis M. Cashmyer's Jr.'s Facebook account.

"Last night I received a call no parent ever wants," she began.

"My oldest beloved daughter, Jordan has passed away, she was only 26 years old," she continued. "Our hearts are truly broken. No parent should ever have to go through losing a child, EVER."

"Please keep my family in your thoughts prayers as we navigate through this terrible tragedy," she added. "Please understand and respect our privacy at this time."

"We are surrounded by the love and support of our children, grand daughter Lyla and family members," she concluded.

Fans and friends commented on the post to share their condolences.

"I’m so sorry to hear this!!!" one person wrote. "I was always praying for her and her babygirl!! You guys shouldn’t ever have to feel this pain!!"

"Dennis and Jess, words cannot express how sorry we are to hear this," another wrote. "We are here for you in any way we can be. Sending you all our love and hugs."

"Oh my goodness… I am so very sorry," another wrote. "Sending all of you a big hug and keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. We are here for you."

"Omg Dennis, I'm so sorry my friend," another shared. "I can't even imagine what your family is going through. I will keep you all in my prayers."

"My heart absolutely breaks for you and Jess," said another. "My deepest condolences and I will pray for your family."

"I am so so sorry to hear of this heartbreaking news," another wrote. "I can’t even imagine what you are all going through. My thoughts and prayers are with you all."

"I'm so sorry about your loss," added another. "Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers."

"16 and Pregnant" is an MTV reality show that featured the stories of pregnant girls in high school who were struggling with teenage pregnancy. The show was shot in documentary-style footage and typically featured girls when they were between 5-8 months into their pregnancy. From there, they followed their stories up until the time the baby was a few years old.

The show spawned numerous spin-offs series, including "Teen Mom," "Teen Mom 2," "Teen Mom 3," "Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant," and "16 and Recovering," which premiered on September 1, 2020.

The show has six seasons. The first episode debuted on June 11, 2009. The last episode of season six debuted on April 13, 2021.

The New York Times called the series a "documentary-style series about real-life Junos who are not scoring in the 99th percentile on the verbal portion of their SATs... despite its showcasing of the grim, hard work of single mothering."

In 2016, two years after season 5 aired, the New York Times did a study of the top 50 TV shows with the most likes on Facebook. The study found that shows like "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" were more popular in rural parts of the United States.

Although many have criticized the show's lack of diversity, in 2009, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy recognized the possibility that shows like "16 and Pregnant" helped cause a drop in teenage pregnancies that were recorded that year.

A study done in 2012 by the National Campaign said that the show also encouraged conversation about teenage pregnancy between parents and their children, ranging in age from 10 to 19.