YouTuber Myka Stauffer Said Her Child Was "Not Returnable" Before Rehoming Controversy

Myka Stauffer's past is being revisited. 

Four years after the YouTuber and her husband James Stauffer shared they had rehomed their adopted son Huxley, the events leading to the then-4-year-old's leaving their family—as well as comments they made prior to his adoption—are being reexamined in the new docuseries An Update on Our Family, which takes a deep dive into the family vlogging industry.

"I don't know what his medical diagnosis is gonna look like," Myka said in a 2017 YouTube video featured in the documentary, from before the adoption. "How much schooling will he need? Will he need a little bit more hands on? Will he be delayed?"

She later added, "But if anything, my child is not returnable."

In fact, in footage from the family's YouTube videos posted before Huxley—who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder while living with the Stauffers—joined their family, Myka spoke to the family's preparedness for raising a child with special needs.  

"We started talking to physicians, we started having meetings, we started doing tons of different things so that we could be really well educated on different conditions," the former nurse said of the adoption process. "Let's just say there's 100 conditions. Me and my husband were comfortable with 99 of the conditions. So we were very, very open."

As she said in a separate vlog, "The only need that our little boy has is a nice family that really, truly cares about him."

E! News has reached out to the Stauffers for comment but has not yet heard back. 

But after adopting Huxley in 2017, in May 2020 the Stauffers announced they'd come to the difficult decision to reverse the adoption. At the time, they shared that after undergoing "multiple assessments and evaluations," Huxley's team of doctors recommended he spend time with other families better equipped to care for him.

"There's not an ounce of our body that doesn't want Huxley with all of our being. There wasn't a minute that I didn't try our hardest," Myka, 37, said in the family's announcement video, later adding, "Do I feel like a failure as a mom? 500 percent. So when we get insidious, hurtful comments, it really makes it hurt worse."

Following James and Myka's announcement, and the subsequent criticism, their lawyers issued a statement on their behalf.

"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," their legal team said in a statement published by People May 28, 2020. "Since his adoption, they consulted with multiple professionals in the healthcare and educational arenas in order 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."

The attorneys noted that Myka and James—who are also parents to Kova, Jaka, Radley and Onyx—never considered putting Huxley in foster care, and that instead his new family was hand-selected, adding, "They were forced to make a difficult decision, but it is in fact, the right and loving thing to do for this child."

One month later, Myka shared a lengthy statement to her Instagram profile apologizing for the situation—one which would ultimately become the page's last post as the family has since stepped away from the public eye.  

"I want to first off apologize for the uproar and take full responsibility for all of the hurt that I have caused," the YouTuber wrote on June 24. "This decision has caused so many people heart break and I'm sorry for letting down so many women that looked up to me as a mother."

Myka said she was "so naïve" throughout the adoption process and noted the family "needed more training" before welcoming Huxley, who after his subsequent adoption is now going by another name, into their home.

"I was not selective or fully equipped or prepared," she wrote, later adding, "I can't say I wish this never happened because I'm still so glad Huxley is here and getting all of the help he needs. I also know that even though he is happier in his new home and doing better that he still experienced trauma and I'm sorry, no adoptee deserves any more trauma. I wanted to help so bad I was willing to bring home any child that needed me."

She concluded her post, "We love Huxley and know that this was the right decision for him and his future. Praying that Huxley only has the best future in the entire world."

An Update on our Family aired at the Tribeca Film Festival June 6. 

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