Movies

You Won’t Believe Why This Famous YouTube Family Gave Up Their Adopted Child!

BBG News

On May 26th, 2020, Ohio vloggers Myka and James Stauffer posted a new YouTube video called “A Family Update”. In this video, they addressed growing concerns from their viewers, revealing that they had ended the adoption process for their 4.5-year-old son Huxley, whom they adopted from China in 2017 when he was 2 years old.

The Stauffer family, operators of YouTube’s “The Stauffer Life” channel (approximately 1 million subscribers combined with their other channels), stated in a now-removed video that Huxley’s unique requirements surpassed their capacity to provide adequate care due to his autism diagnosis. They were cognizant of this condition before adopting him.

Upon Huxley’s return home, we discovered additional special requirements that we weren’t initially aware of, and hadn’t been informed about. James stated in the video, “We adore Huxley to the depths of our souls.” Myka continued, “There wasn’t a moment when we didn’t put forth our best effort, and I believe Jim is trying to convey that despite numerous assessments, evaluations, and consultations with various medical experts, they determined that he required specialized care beyond what we could provide.

The response was prompt. For weeks, viewers had been inquiring about the whereabouts of Huxley, noticing his mysterious absence from updates. It seemed unusual when the Stauffers, who regularly shared their family life and adoption journey, suddenly stopped posting about their son. Even more noticeable was the sudden change in privacy settings for a playlist related to him. Online investigators had also observed that Huxley’s car seat was no longer seen in videos from “Stauffer Garage,” the family’s car-themed channel.

The story of the Stauffer family is revisited in a fresh three-part documentary series airing on HBO Original from January 15. This series, titled “An Update On Our Family“, was inspired by an article published in New York Magazine in 2020 by Caitlin Moscatello. The series is directed by Rachel Mason (Circus Of Books) and delves into the intricate realm of family vlogging and transnational adoption through interviews with current family vloggers, YouTube experts, adoption specialists, and journalists. Despite reaching out to them, the Stauffers chose not to participate in “An Update On Our Family“.

The following narrative recounts the genuine account of Myka and James Stauffer, the YouTube personalities who became notorious after giving away their adopted child, Huxley.

Who are Myka and James Stauffer?

Back in the year 2012, I, a resident of Columbus, OH, began my journey on YouTube under the name Myka Bellisari. There, I shared insights about weight loss, offered glimpses into my life as a single mother, and a nurse. It was around this period that I crossed paths with James Stauffer on OKCupid. We tied the knot in 2014, and together we embarked on our joint venture, The Stauffer Life. This platform became our stage to share intimate details about our relationship and expanding family. Kova, born in 2011, is my eldest child; although James didn’t play a biological role in her life, he has been an essential part of hers since she was a toddler. We are blessed with three children together: daughter Jaka, and sons Radley and Onyx.

Despite frequently sharing content on various household topics like cooking and housekeeping, it was their incredibly intimate videos – such as revealing Myka’s miscarriage experience and surprising James with a positive pregnancy test – that truly resonated, resulting in viewership skyrocketing to hundreds of thousands.

After some time, Myka decided to leave her nursing career behind and dedicate herself entirely to vlogging. As The Stauffer Life grew in popularity, she began securing brand endorsements and collaborations with firms such as Fabletics and Mattel. With a following of 700,000 people, they weren’t at the pinnacle of family vlogging charts—the highest-ranked family vlog channel in 2024 boasted approximately 1.2M subscribers—but they were undeniably successful.

In 2016, the Stauffers informed their audience that they were adopting a young boy from China via the now-defunct adoption agency WACAP. The documentary implies that the Stauffers might have opted for this method due to its relatively swift pace compared to other adoption options; it also hints at the possibility that the family’s desire to expand may have been fueled by the financial success of videos related to pregnancy, childbirth, and babies on YouTube. (It is worth noting that China discontinued its international adoption program in September 2024.) As cultural analyst Sophie Ross comments in the series, “Adding new members to their family was a guaranteed way to increase views, gain followers, secure sponsorships, and make more money.

In her statement dated June 2020, Myka asserted that neither she nor James adopted Huxley for any financial or business purposes. She explained that their adoption of Huxley was not driven by a desire to accumulate wealth. While they did receive some money from videos showcasing Huxley’s journey, every cent and more was used towards his care. The cost of providing Huxley with the necessary care and resources was high, but they ensured he received all available services and treatments.

The Stauffers additionally addressed viewers about their readiness to manage any possible health concerns or unique requirements their adopted child may possess. As per the National Library of Medicine, transnational adoptees might experience higher rates of physical health issues based on the conditions in their birth country, such as malnutrition, infectious diseases, and undiagnosed medical conditions due to restricted healthcare access prior to adoption.

Over time, Myka unveiled photos of the kid they’d selected, now called “Huxley.” Simultaneously, spectators eagerly awaited news and urged the Stauffers to post adoption day videos, which was set in China.

What happened after Huxley’s adoption?

Following the Stauffer family’s adoption of Huxley, who seemed troubled in videos chronicling their trip back to Ohio, they began compiling YouTube playlists detailing Huxley’s adoption journey. Notably, YouTube’s system tends to favor playlists, increasing the chances that people curious about adoption or vlogging families might encounter the Stauffers’ content. Additionally, any posts related to Huxley generated more engagement for the Stauffers compared to other topics they shared online.

In the fall of 2018, the Stauffers began sharing more about Huxley’s health challenges, which included a formal diagnosis of level-three autism, and it seemed they were intensifying his home therapy methods. However, following Myka’s birth of their fourth biological child in 2019, viewers began noticing that Huxley was appearing less frequently on The Stauffer Life. Whenever fans inquired about Huxley, they noticed their questions being removed.

In my personal perspective as a movie critic, I found it heartbreaking when the Stauffers tackled Huxley’s mysterious absence in their now-notorious video titled “An Update From Our Family”. They candidly confessed that his needs exceeded what they had initially been informed about, leaving them unable to provide him with the care he required. James expressed their struggles in the video, stating, “We’ve found it incredibly difficult to hear from medical professionals, their feedback, and things that have left us upset.” They never desired to be in this predicament, and they had been tirelessly striving to meet his needs and support him as much as possible. Their affection for Huxley is undeniable as they concluded, “We truly love him.

The video sparked a massive wave of criticism. In June 2020, Myka acknowledged her mistake in the adoption process by stating she had been “unaware.” On Instagram, she expressed, “I can’t say I regret this happening because I’m still incredibly grateful that Huxley is with us and receiving all the necessary care.” She continued, “I understand he’s thriving in his new environment and improving, but he went through trauma. No adoptee should endure additional hardships.

The Stauffers’ legal representatives stated officially that Myka and James made a deliberate decision to find a new family rather than placing him in foster care, who could cater to his unique requirements. Since Huxley’s adoption, they have sought guidance from various healthcare and educational experts to ensure he received the finest possible medical attention and upbringing. Over time, their team of medical professionals recommended that it might be in Huxley’s best interest to live with another family.

Where is Huxley now?

In 2020, when the Stauffers’ tale spread online, local authorities performed a welfare assessment for Huxley. The report from the subsequent documentary reveals that “Huxley’s adoptive mother was singing to him while he sat on her lap, smiling. Huxley seemed content and well-cared for. At this point, the investigation has been concluded without any need for additional action from our department.

Where are the Stauffers now?

It seems that Myka Stauffer has been absent from social media and YouTube platforms since the year 2020, while her spouse, James Stauffer, remains active on his car-focused YouTube channel known as Stauffer’s Garage.

What issues does the docuseries raise around family vlogging?

Insights from Fellow Family Vloggers and YouTube Experts: A Look at the Pros and Cons of Monetizing Personal Content

The production An Update From Our Family provides a glimpse into the reasons why vloggers, particularly those focusing on their family life, might choose to monetize their content. On one hand, the allure lies in shedding light on topics often overlooked, such as pregnancy and childbirth. A successful YouTube channel can also serve as an income source for stay-at-home parents, sometimes even proving to be quite profitable.

On the flip side, the film highlights potential risks associated with this practice. The constant pressure to create content in order to maintain audience engagement, secure brand deals, and grow one’s following can have detrimental effects, especially within the unregulated realm of social media. This is particularly concerning when children are involved, as they lack the ability to consent to their lives being documented and monetized.

What issues does the docuseries raise around transnational adoptions?

As a Cinephile Pondering My Own Roots: In my latest exploration, I delve into the profound impact of transnational adoption on one’s psychological well-being through the moving documentary, An Update On Our Family. As an adoptee from Korea myself, I resonate deeply with the complexities of identity that this film highlights. I engage in heartfelt conversations with filmmakers and fellow adoptees like Hannah Cho, a renowned YouTube beauty vlogger, and Cameron Lee Small, an adoption counselor based in Minneapolis, to shed light on these intricate emotional landscapes we traverse as transnational adoptees.

Based on findings from the American Psychological Association, individuals who have been internationally adopted may face a higher risk of certain mental health issues than those who weren’t adopted. These potential challenges could include conditions such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders.

How common is it to dissolve an adoption? 

Based on data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between 1% and 5% of the over 100,000 yearly adoptions within the U.S. may end up being legally dissolved or terminated.

Filmmakers conversed with Ashley, a parent who adopted a child from another country with considerable special needs. These needs were so severe that she bravely chose to end the adoption. “Such stories are rarely shared… The true extent of adoption isn’t widely recognized,” she conveyed to the producers.

In a nutshell, the Stauffers’ choice to terminate their adoption of Huxley might be uncommon, but it’s not entirely unique. If the Stauffers were not popular figures or didn’t frequently share updates about Huxley’s health on YouTube, this story would likely have gone unnoticed, being one of the many (1 to 5 percent) such instances that typically remain untold.

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2025-01-15 22:07

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