‘Speechless’: Myka Stauffer’s YouTube Viewers React To Her Confessing To Giving Up Adopted Son

Myka Stauffer has been sharing her life on YouTube through her self-titled channel since 2014. In 2017, she introduced a new member to her and husband James Stauffer’s family, Huxley, a now 4-year-old boy from China whom they adopted. Over the course of nearly three years, she shared updates on Huxley, until a few months ago when they stopped. On Tuesday, the couple, who share four children between them, revealed that they had decided to rehome their adopted son.

In a video titled “an update on our family,” the vloggers tearfully revealed the details behind their decision to part ways with their son. Noting how hard Myka has “tried” throughout their adoption “journey,” James said the couple was at first unaware of their son’s true struggles.

“With international adoption sometimes there’s unknowns and things that are not transparent on files,” he said. “Once Huxley came home there were a lot more special needs that we were not aware of and that we were not told.”

As a result of his special needs, Huxley had been put into therapy, which they said ramped up one year ago to help him cope with his “severe needs.” The couple had previously revealed that Huxley had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder level 3.

After multiple medical assessments, Myka stated they were advised that Huxley needed a “different fit” for his needs. James said they couldn’t go into extreme detail about what had transpired in their home due to a desire to protect Huxley’s privacy. And despite showing their daily lives on YouTube, Myka said the pair purposefully didn’t show “95%” of Huxley’s struggles online.

“There’s not an ounce of our body that doesn’t love Huxley. There wasn’t a minute that I didn’t try out hardest,” Myka said.

As for Huxley’s future, Myka said he had been matched with his new “forever family.” Myka added that his “new mommy” has medical training that makes her a good fit for Huxley.

While some commenters have since offered their support to the couple, calling them “brave” for sharing their decision online, many have left noticeably negative comments for the pair.

“... I'm speechless. I had no idea that was going on behind the scenes,” one fan commented on the YouTube video. “Wow, I’m speechless,” another viewer wrote in a comment on the post that has been upvoted over 1.2K times.

Other subscribers have left notes stating that they are “heartbroken” for Huxley.

“My heart breaks for that poor boy,” reads one top comment. Another viewer wrote, “So incredibly heartbroken for little Huxley. Although I am sure this is hard for all involved, it does not even compare to the loss this child has endured. Just heartbreaking.”

While Myka appears to have turned off the comments on some of her pictures of Huxley on Instagram, a photo she posted of him on her account in January has now been inundated with negative remarks about their decision to part ways with him.

“Thank you so much for trusting me to be your mama!” reads her caption. “You are the bravest, and sweetest boy I have ever met! And, I’m so lucky to call you my son!”

“He trusted you and you gave him away. You’re not a mom. Parents don’t exploit children for youtube stardom,” reads one comment.

“The trauma you inflicted on this little boy so you could have an ounce more social media fame…,” reads another comment.

“You're entire profile angers me. You're not this boys mama. I hope you take all of these photos down of him. What you did was shameful. What you did was cruel. I feel sorry for this baby. You don't deserve a single child.”

At press time, all videos from the couple’s weekly vlog channel, The Stauffer Life, had been removed.