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Influencer Defends Photo Shoot in Front of Dad’s Open Coffin

“Everyone handles the loss of a loved one in their own ways.”

A social media influencer who came under fire for a photo shoot in front of her dad’s open coffin says the pictures were taken with “the best intentions in a manner my father would have approved with had he still been alive.” Jayne Rivera, 20, posted snaps of herself in a one-sleeved dress, including one in which she was looking over her bare shoulder, kicking up one stiletto heel. The backlash was swift, with some people unfollowing her in protest. Rivera told NBC News that she understood the uproar but said she did nothing wrong and doesn’t understand why her Instagram account was disabled. “Everyone handles the loss of a loved one in their own ways; some are more traditional while others might come across as taboo,” she said in a statement. “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.”