Whatever Happend to Myka and James Stauffer's Adopted Son Huxley? An Update
Myka and her husband James told fans that they were "rehoming" Huxley to a home that would better suit his needs. So, where is he?
Updated June 10 2024, 4:22 p.m. ET
In 2020, fans of influencer Myka Stauffer were shocked when they learned she had "rehomed" her young son, Huxley, whom she adopted from China two years prior. In a YouTube video titled "an update from our family," which has since been taken down, Myka and her husband James told fans that they were "rehoming" Huxley to a home that would better suit his needs.
Myka and James described that they felt ill-equipped to adequately handle Huxley's "severe" condition, though they had tried various therapies to help him with his needs. The couple's decision received immediate backlash and was revisited in Vox Media Studios' new docuseries, An Update on Our Family.
Though the two have put their influencer careers on the back burner (James still posts regularly to his Instagram account, @stauffergarage), people still wonder: whatever happened to Huxley?
In 2020, an investigation ensued around Huxley's whereabouts.
The family's decision didn't sit right with people, given the fact that Myka had used Huxley in numerous high-profile sponsored posts, as well as many videos from which she profited from. Myka had 704k subscribers on a YouTube channel that primarily focused on parenting, though she has since deleted it.
Her Instagram page had 204k followers as of June of 2020, but her follower count has since dropped to 149k. We haven't heard from her since she issued an apology for the "uproar" caused by her decision to "rehome" Huxley.
According to Buzzfeed News, Myka had created 27 videos about her "adoption journey," while also promoting her own fundraiser that would raise money for Huxley's "unspecified needs." We now know Huxley has been diagnosed with autism, per People.
Considering that much of Myka's content involving Huxley was sponsored coupled with the family deciding to reverse the adoption, people began questioning his safety, and the couple's intentions.
This prompted an investigation soon after Myka shared the news about Huxley. According to Buzzfeed News, the Delaware County Sheriff's Office began "working with several other agencies" in order to look into the case and make sure proper protocol was followed when "rehoming" the four-year-old.
The office's community and media relations manager, Tracey Whited, told Buzzfeed News, "All adoption cases are confidential, and must go through a process, with specific requirements and safeguards. In private adoptions there are the same legal requirements that must be adhered to. These include home studies as well as background checks on the adopting parent(s)."
She added that "the appropriate process is occurring."
Where is Myka and James Stauffer's son Huxley now?
Understandably, this type of adoption process is very private. Furthermore, Myka and James have kept very quiet about Huxley's current whereabouts. Lawyers representing the Stauffers told Buzzfeed News that the family "hand-selected a family who is equipped to handle Huxley's needs" after getting consultation from healthcare professionals.
Their legal team added, "Over time, the team of medical professionals advised our clients it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family. This is devastating news for any parent."
It appears that the adoption was not done through an adoption agency or institution, but rather that the Stauffers "made arrangements with an individual person, versus an agency," Val Turner, a spokesperson for Franklin County Children Services stated.
However, this does make the case "highly unusual," according to Susan Soonkeum Cox, the vice president for policy and external affairs for Holt International Children's Services (which used to be known as the World Association for Parents and Children, but it merged with Holt in 2019 — and it's the same service the Stauffers used when first adopting Huxley).
"Did they go through an agency? Was there another home study done on the other family? That part is highly unusual," Cox stated.
While People noted that Huxley has been renamed since being "rehomed," the docuseries has prompted folks to further speculate about Myka's behavior around the time she decided to reverse the adoption. People pointed out that in an old video, Myka can be seen wearing a Caterier Love bracelet valued at over $6,000 at the time while she discussed removing Huxley from a $500 per month treatment plan to one that costs "$70 for 30 minutes."
Ultimately, we hope that Huxley is living with a loving, caring family.