In 2020, popular family vloggers Myka and James Stauffer made a shocking announcement that would capture headlines across the world and eventually end their successful careers as influencers. They had decided to 'rehome' their four-year-old autistic son, Huxley, nearly three years after they adopted him from China - due to difficulties in meeting his special needs.
![[They had decided to 'rehome' their four-year-old autistic son, Huxley, nearly three years after they adopted him from China - due to difficulties in meeting his special needs]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/19/94183691-14293293-image-a-18_1737056460044.jpg)
The youngster - who has since been renamed - had been the star of many of their parenting and lifestyle videos on YouTube and Instagram before suddenly disappearing from their posts. Their one million followers quickly started to question the child's absence - and after months of fans wondering what happened to Huxley, Myka and James shared a family 'update' on their YouTube channel.
![[They revealed how their adopted son has a new 'forever family' that is better equipped to take on his special needs]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/19/94183687-14293293-image-m-20_1737056465605.jpg)
They revealed how their adopted son has a new 'forever family' that is better equipped to take on his special needs. The surprising confession prompted swift and widespread backlash, with many critics accusing the parents-of-five, based in Columbus, Ohio, of adopting the child as a stunt to secure more viewers.
![[They had decided to 'rehome' their four-year-old autistic son, Huxley, nearly three years after they adopted him from China - due to difficulties in meeting his special needs]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/19/85831277-14293293-They_had_decided_to_rehome_their_four_year_old_autistic_son_Huxl-m-22_1737056594473.jpg)
However, defending their decision in the final Instagram post she would make before fleeing the spotlight, Myka insisted 'we did not adopt a child to gain wealth' but called herself 'naïve' and not 'fully equipped' to deal with the challenge. The uproar has now been revisited in a HBO docuseries An Update on Our Family, which explores the couple's fall from grace and includes clips from Myka's now-deleted YouTube videos, as well as diving into the family vlogging industry.
![[Myka featured Huxley on her YouTube channel and social media pages until early 2020]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/16/19/85831281-14293293-Myka_featured_Huxley_on_her_YouTube_channel_and_social_media_pag-a-23_1737056611971.jpg)
