Local authorities are investigating the status of Huxley, the adopted child who was “rehomed” by his YouTuber parents Myka and James Stauffer.
Last week the Ohio-based parenting vloggers announced in a video that they gave up the 5-year-old child they adopted from China more than two years ago. “Numerous medical professionals have felt that he needed a different fit. He needed more,” says a tearful Myka in the clip.
Now, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and “several other agencies” are investigating the case to locate the child, according to a new report from BuzzFeed News.
Tracy Whited, who manages community and media relations for the department, told the outlet that Huxley “is not missing.”
In their original family-breakup video, Myka says that an adoption agency helped find Huxley his new home. “He’s thriving, he’s doing really well, and his new mommy has medical, professional training,” she says. The Stauffers did not reveal the names of Huxley’s new parents and urged viewers to respect their privacy.
However, a statement from their lawyers after the couple began to receive stark backlash contradicts that narrative. “To be clear this did NOT include any considerations for placement in the foster system, but rather to hand-select a family who is equipped to handle Huxley’s needs,” the statement reads.
Val Turner, a spokesperson for Franklin County Children Services, confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Huxley was not in their custody.
“The adoption for the Stauffer family is an international adoption, which does not involve our agency. It appears that [Myka] made arrangements with an individual person, versus an agency,” said Turner.
Myka, who was dropped by some of her sponsors after the backlash, had previously said on her YouTube channel that she and James used the World Association for Children and Parents to originally adopt Huxley from China, according to the report.
The agency could not comment as to whether they were involved in the child’s second adoption, but did point out that this case was uncommon.
“Putting it on social media and describing it as ‘We found another family.’ Well, what does that mean? Did they go through an agency? Was there another home study done on the other family? That part is highly unusual,” said Susan Soonkeum Cox, the vice president for policy and external affairs for the adoption organization.