‘Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega Makes Shocking Exit amid Scandal

Another Islander on Love Island USA has made a shocking exit from the Fiji villa.

On Sunday, July 6, narrator Iain Stirling announced during episode 30 that Cierra Ortega had left the Peacock show due to a “personal situation,” therefore leaving contestant Nic Vansteenberghe single. 

The 25-year-old content creator’s unexpected departure came after multiple racist social media posts that she allegedly made resurfaced. At least two of them contained slurs offensive to Chinese people. 

Ortega’s parents described the situation as “one of the most painful weeks of our lives” in a statement shared on her Instagram Stories on Sunday.

“We’re not here to justify or ignore what’s surfaced,” they wrote. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that.

“The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it’s heartbreaking,” the statement continued. “It’s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they’ve made.

“While Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away. She hasn’t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself,” Ortega’s family said. “But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she’ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace.”

They added, “While she’ll always be our little girl, she’s also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we’re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this.”

The statement from Ortega’s family concluded with a “thank you” to those continuing to show love and support amid the scandal.

Ortega appeared to use a racial slur to describe her smile in a Jan. 2015 social media post, before using the slur again in Feb. 2023 to describe her smile while getting Botox.

She reportedly lost over 200,000 followers within 48 hours of the posts surfacing, according to the Daily Mail. Over 17,000 people also signed a petition set up to campaign for her removal from Love Island season 7.

Following her exit on Sunday, Belle-A Walker, who was dumped from the villa after Ortega’s bombshell arrival, praised the show’s producers for “taking a stand” against racism in a post on her Instagram Stories. 

“When I first saw what my fellow Islander said on their social media pages, I was incredibly heartbroken,” Walker wrote. “But I wanted to wait until they left the villa and were able to address the situation, genuinely apologize, and commit to learning from the experience before deciding how our relationship would look moving forward.

“As screenshots continued to surface, it became clear that I could no longer support this person, and made the decision to unfollow them a couple of days ago,” she continued. “Asian hate is oftentimes overlooked and dismissed. But being a first-generation American, I have personally witnessed and experienced how real and hurtful comments like these are.”

Walker expressed hope that the situation would raise awareness of “anti-Asian hate,” while also reflecting on the “hardship” her family has experienced throughout the years.

“I do not condone bigotry or racism of any kind. But I also don’t condone hate either,” she concluded. “Please think twice before leaving unkind comments to or about this person. I love you all so much.”

Peacock did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Monday, July 7.

Ortega’s exit from Love Island comes after Yulissa Escobar’s sudden exit during episode two. According to TMZ, Escobar said the N-word during two separate podcast appearances.

She apologized in a lengthy Instagram post on June 6, saying, “In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history or pain behind it.”

“I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use,” she continued.

“…To those who are disappointed or offended, I understand and I apologize. I am sorry,” Escobar added. 

Love Island USA season 7 airs daily, except Wednesdays, at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.