Myka Stauffer, once a beloved YouTuber renowned for her family vlogs with husband James, has been conspicuously absent from social media since June 24, 2020.
Both her personal YouTube channel and the family's channel, The Stauffer Life, have been deleted.
Meanwhile, James' "Stauffer Garage" channel remains active, focusing exclusively on car flipping, detailing, and cleaning.
This hiatus follows a highly controversial incident in 2020 when the couple faced intense backlash for rehoming their adopted son, Huxley, due to difficulties in meeting his special needs. Huxley, who has since been renamed by his new family, was adopted by the Stauffers from China at the age of 2½.
The adoption and dissolution
The couple's decision to seek adoption dissolution came two years after bringing Huxley home, citing their inability to cope with his disabilities, which they claim were not fully disclosed during the adoption process. In her last Instagram post, Myka expressed her regret and took responsibility for the hurt caused by their decision.
"I want to apologize first off for the uproar and take full responsibility for all the hurt that I have caused," Myka wrote.
"This decision has caused so many people heartbreak and I'm sorry for letting down so many women who looked up to me as a mother. I'm sorry for the confusion and pain I have caused, and I'm sorry for not being able to tell more of my story from the beginning. I could have never anticipated the incidents which occurred on a private level to ever have happened, and I was trying my best to navigate the hardest thing I have ever been through."
Following the announcement, according to People, the couple's lawyers emphasized their ultimate hope to "provide Huxley with the best possible treatment and care."
Legal and medical advice
"We are privy to this case and given the facts at hand, we feel this was the best decision for Huxley," Myka and James' lawyers, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, said in a statement issued in May 2020.
"In coming to know our clients we know they are a loving family and are very caring parents that would do anything for their children."
The legal team noted that the Stauffers consulted with multiple professionals in the healthcare and educational arenas to provide Huxley with the best possible treatment and care. "Over time, the team of medical professionals advised our clients it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family," Taneff and Sayers continued. The lawyers clarified that the advice "did NOT include any considerations for placement in the foster system, but rather to hand-select a family who is equipped to handle Huxley’s needs."
The scandal
Recently, Vox Media Studios revisited the viral scandal in a new docuseries titled An Update on Our Family.
The three-part series, inspired by New York Magazine's 2020 feature on the family, includes clips from Myka's since-deleted YouTube videos leading up to their trip to pick up Huxley in Asia. In several snippets, the former nurse claimed she was equipped and willing to learn how to parent a child with special needs.
The docuseries sheds light on the complexities and challenges faced by the Stauffers and offers a nuanced perspective on the adoption and its aftermath. It delves into the emotional and psychological toll the decision had on the family, as well as the public's reaction to the scandal.
Public reaction
The backlash from the public was swift and severe, with many criticizing the Stauffers for their decision. Myka's Instagram post garnered mixed reactions, with some expressing support and understanding, while others were less forgiving.
"Myka, thank you for your honesty. It must have been a very difficult decision," one supporter wrote. Meanwhile, a critic commented, "This is heartbreaking. You can't just give up on a child like that."
Despite the criticism, Myka and James maintained that their decision was made with Huxley's best interests at heart. "We tried our best, and we are devastated that it came to this," Myka shared in a video before their channels were deleted. "We will always love Huxley, and we hope he thrives in his new home."
Moving forward
Since the scandal, Myka and James have stepped away from the public eye, focusing on their family and personal lives. James continues to work on his "Stauffer Garage" channel, which has found a dedicated following among car enthusiasts.
The experience has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the Stauffers, and Myka has hinted at a desire to share more of her story in the future. "I hope one day I can share more about what happened," she wrote in her final Instagram post. "For now, I am taking time to heal and be with my family."