'Unexpected' Star Ethan Ybarra's Parents Have Split Up

TLC's version of 16 & Pregnant is Unexpected — and the drama is just as real and intense. Since it debuted in 2017, many young couples have been featured who are growing their families, while also navigating being teenagers.

When Season 4 debuted, viewers were introduced to teen pair Ethan Ybarra and Myrka Cantū. Myrka, who was just 15 during filming, was pregnant with her daughter. 

The two faced an uphill battle, which was worsened by Myrka's mom. She kicked the teen out of the house once she learned Myrka was expecting. Ethan and Myrka went to live with his parents, who spoke at length about how they could never banish one of their kids.

In a twist, Myrka and Ethan have since hinted online that his mom did kick them out of their home, and that there is a lot of family conflict.  

At the beginning of Season 4, fans grew attached to Ethan's parents, Michelle and Charlie Ybarra, because they supported their son while Myrka was pregnant. While Myrka's mom, Liliana Cantū, kicked her daughter out of the house upon hearing the pregnancy news, she was allowed to stay with Ethan at his parents' house.

"I am trying to figure what she's trying to teach Myrka in this. I don't know — I just don't think that I could kick my daughter out if she was pregnant," Michelle said during an episode of the show in December of 2020. "That is a time that she'd probably need me most."

The couple related to their son because they had gone through a similar situation when they were teens themselves. Michelle was asked to leave her parents' home, though they did continue to support her emotionally. Unfortunately, Charlie and Michelle later lost that pregnancy. 

But, things have reportedly changed significantly since Michelle was so understanding. Both Ethan and Myrka have hinted on social media that they were also kicked out of his parents' home back in October of 2020.

Because Ethan's parents seemed to be a rock solid unit, many viewers would be shocked to learn that the two have reportedly separated. It appears as if the split happened while Myrka and Ethan were still living at the Ybarra family home. They have since said that Michelle asked them to leave her home sometime in October of 2020. 

Myrka said that she was dealing with a lot at the time, as her godmother and her grandmother had just passed away in an automobile accident. 

While Ethan allegedly posted on Facebook about how his aunt caused friction between Myrka and Michelle, the post is no longer up on his page.

It's unclear, therefore, whether there was another catalyst that led Michelle to ask her son and his girlfriend to leave. Some fans have suspected that the COVID-19 pandemic affected things, that Michelle secretly had a new boyfriend, or that Ethan and Myrka weren't pulling their weight around the home. 

Since they were asked to leave, the couple has hinted that there is an estrangement between them and Ethan's mom.

During an Instagram live in January of 2021 (which was later reposted to Ethan's own page), Myrka said that the two are only in contact really with Ethan's father. 

"Ethan's dad texts us a lot; that's mostly the only one that I talk to..." Myrka said. "It's just kind of awkward for me, I guess, because of everything that went down."

She went on to say that Ethan has very limited interactions with his siblings as well. Ethan himself then shared that he was doing well following his parents' separation.

"I really cannot say any details, just that we are not living with Ethan's parents at the moment," Myrka continued. "There was [sic] some altercations. There was disrespect, so that's why things are kind of awkward."

But, about a month later, she shared on Instagram that she was living with Ethan at Charlie Ybarra's house. 

Myrka confirmed that she wouldn't be able to share more until the Unexpected Tell-All aired. The estrangement with Ethan's family will likely be explored as Season 4 continues. 

Unexpected airs on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC. You can stream the series on Discovery Plus as well.