Myka Stauffer, the YouTube star known for her videos documenting her life as a mom, broke her silence yesterday in a photo Instagram statement after weeks of speculation around her and her husband’s controversial decision to have their adopted autistic child placed with another family.
The couple recently made international headlines when Stauffer and her husband, James, announced that they would be moving toward an adoption dissolution resulting in their four-year-old Chinese autistic son, Huxley being “re-homed” with another family.
The original announcement set off a firestorm of reactions that included accusations of abuse that sparked an alleged investigation and intentionally and callously using Huxley for endorsement deals.
The scandal has not died down, and many angry essays have been penned in reaction to Stauffers’ choice to give up their autistic adopted child, including this one we published. In the latest episode of this unfolding drama, Myka Stauffer wants the world to know that she is sorry.
The statement, which is a series of images of text with no caption and with no interaction in the comments section, gives an emotional plea from Stauffer for people to listen to her side of the story, of which she provides almost no details.
“I want to first off apologize for the uproar and take full responsibility for all of the hurt that I have caused,” the statement begins.
“This decision has caused so many people heartbreak and I’m sorry for letting down so many women that looked up to me as a mother.”
The statement appears to be typed using an iPhone notepad app and then screenshot, which, if accurate, makes this series of apologies feel a wee bit off the cuff.
With no images and no personalized caption to add any context around her statement, it reads as a vain attempt to silence the tidal wave of fury over the family’s move to dissolve their adoption.
“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,” Stauffer wrote.
“I apologize for being so naive when I started the adoption process, I was not selective or fully equipped or prepared. I received one day of watching at home online video training and gained my Hague adoption certificate which was required by my accredited adoption agency.”
Stauffer bedraggles her apology’s performance to the point of awkwardness until she finally addresses the public accusations of abuse and wanton manipulation for financial gain.
“While we did receive a small portion of money from videos featuring Huxley and his journey, every penny and much more went back into his care,” Stauffer wrote regarding allegations of using him for endorsement deals. “Getting him the care and services he needed was very expensive and we made sure he got every service, and resource we could possibly find.”
The second, and probably more disturbing rumor swirling in public discussions around the reasons for removing Huxley from their home centers around alleged investigations into abuse.
To that end, Stauffer had exceedingly little to say, writing only,
“Secondly, we are not under any investigation.”
Stauffer ends her statement by saying that she hopes to give her side of the story soon, and then she reiterated how sorry she feels.
A quick search of Myka Stauffer’s Instagram and YouTube accounts show that no trace of Huxley appears to be left. All content featuring Huxley is no longer on public display.
Wow – you can feel your distain for this woman in your writing. Seems as though no matter what she did, right or wrong, people like you will tear down her decisions and family choices. The backlash she has endured making this decision has been magnified by journalists such as yourself. It’s clear it was a hard choice – it taken lightly – one made for all members of their family – particularly their other children. Think about that.